Napoleon Dynamite: Humanity Unbound

A friend of mine is coordinating a new Web site that will be devoted to movie reviews from a Christian perspective. He has indicated that while the reviewers would be informed and influenced by faith, he does not want the site to be contrived or to use Scripture in essentializing ways. In short, he doesn't want the site to be too preachy. In any case, I am contributing to this project, and here is a preview of the types of entries that I'll be posting. Stay tuned for news of the official launch!

When I initially recommended that we write about Napoleon Dynamite for our first set of reviews, I was half-joking. However, Paul Marchbanks, cinekklesia's coordinator, does not shy away from the bold and the cutting-edge, and he concurred (with, as far as I could surmise, a straight face). So, here goes:

I suppose that I considered my suggestion a half-joke due to the nature of the film and the response it has received among the masses. Jon Heder plays the title character, an Idaho-based teenager ostracized due to his sartorial aesthetic; fascination with fantasy and mythology; inability to express more than two or three emotions (none of which involve smiling or laughing); and oddly shaped afro. The plot is rather mundane: he befriends other ostracized teenagers (one of whom runs for school president), falls in love, and achieves some measure of dignity—nay, greatness—by the end.

What is most inspiring about Napoleon Dynamite is his seeming indifference to majority opinion. I cannot remember any moment in the film during which he dwells upon his status as an outcast; while I did not get the impression that he was oblivious to his position in the adolescent food chain, that did not seem to have any effect upon his demeanor.

In short, what Napoleon Dynamite represents is Humanity Unbound. He has no allegiance to a particular clique (even though he indicates that one of the gangs at school was interested in recruiting him for his skills with the bo staff), and he charts his own course, whether in terms of footwear (i.e., moon boots), hobbies (he demonstrates an unexpectedly high level of ability in agricultural science and a strong dedication to the art of disco), and his views on what "counts" in the realm of current events:

Last week, Japanese scientists...placed explosive detonators at the bottom of Lake Loch Ness to blow Nessie out of the water. Sir Godfrey of the Nessie Alliance summoned the help of Scotland's local wizards to cast a protective spell over the lake and its local residents and all those who seek for the peaceful existence of our underwater ally.

Napoleon is not the only figure in the movie unshackled by social norms. His cousin, Kip (Aaron Ruell), is not satisfied with adhering to any stereotypes of the slight, pale Milquetoast. He not only trains for a future in cage fighting, but he also breaks racial divides by befriending and eventually betrothing an African-American woman from Detroit. The latter is of particular interest because Kip furthers his quest in cultural experimentation by adopting an urban, hip-hop persona; like Napoleon, Kip rejects cultural essentialism, choosing to mix-and-match in the manner described by anthropologist Grant McCraken.

Ultimately, however, we must ask whether Napoleon Dynamite presents a prescriptive message. We see Napoleon and Kip charting bold symbolic territory, but do they invite us along? Are we to eschew social convention and to unbind ourselves from the cliques that stifle creative freedom?

Well...only if we want to. Napoleon doesn't evangelize his lifestyle; he "leads" by example, and his message is inadvertent. He doesn't advocate that others adopt "alternative" interests, nor does he try to get others involved in his particular hobbies. If we are as culturally bold as he, then so be it; if we, too, adopt his hobbies, then all the better. For instance, when Napoleon's love interest, Deb (Tina Majorino), asks him about his drawing of a "liger," he is happy to elaborate: "It's pretty much my favorite animal. It's like a lion and a tiger mixed...bred for its skills in magic." However, Napoleon doesn't go out of his way to impress Deb with his hobbies; he responds when she expresses interest.

At the end of the day, Napoleon Dynamite just wants to live a full life. The world is so replete with richness that the pedestrian concerns of social conformity are not worth his time. Will we follow Napoleon's bold example and escape from our lives of quiet desperation? Napoleon, himself, won't be waiting for our answer; he's already ahead of the game, making sweet jumps on the bike of life.