Taglines: Same planet…different flippin’ world.
From Preston, Idaho comes Napoleon Dynamite (Heder), a new kind of hero complete with a tight red ‘fro, some sweet moon boots, and skills that can’t be topped. Napoleon lives with his Grandma (Martin) and his 30-year-old, unemployed brother Kip (Ruell), who spends his days looking for love in internet chat rooms. When Grandma hits the road on her quad runner, Napoleon and Kip’s meddling Uncle Rico (Gries) comes to town to stay with them and ruin their lives.
Napoleon is left to his own devices to impress the chicks at school and help his new best friend Pedro win the election for Student Body President against the stuck-up Summer Wheatley (Duff); all the while making sure to feed Grandma’s pet llama Tina, and avoiding association with Uncle Rico and the herbal breast enhancers he sells door to door. Napoleon and Pedro put their skills and knowledge of piñatas, cows and drawing to good use, but it is a surprise talent that leads the two to triumph in the end.
Napoleon Dynamite is a 2004 American comedy film produced by Jeremy Coon, Chris Wyatt, Sean C. Covel and Jory Weitz, written by Jared and Jerusha Hess and directed by Jared Hess. The film stars Jon Heder in the role of the title character, for which he was paid $1,000. After the film’s runaway success, Heder re-negotiated his compensation and received a cut of the profits.
The film was Jared Hess’ first full-length feature and is partially adapted from his earlier short film, Peluca. Napoleon Dynamite was acquired at the Sundance Film Festival by Fox Searchlight Pictures and Paramount Pictures, in association with MTV Films. It was filmed in and near Franklin County, Idaho in the summer of 2003. It debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2004. The film’s total worldwide gross revenue was $46,118,097. The film has since developed a cult following.
Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
Directed by: Jared Hess
Starring: Jon Heder, Jon Gries, Aaron Ruell, Efren Ramirez, Tina Majorino, Haylie Duff, Sandy Martin, Trevor Snarr, Ellen Dubin, Shondrella Avery, Carmen Brady
Screenplay by: Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess
Production Design by: Cory Lorenzen
Cinematography by: Munn Powell
Film Editing by: Jeremy Coon
Costume Design by: Jerusha Hess
Art Direction by: Curt Jensen
Music by: John Swihart
MPAA Rating: PG for thematic elements and language.
Distributed by: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Release Date: June 11, 2004
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