What are you going to do today Napoleon?

A phenomenon is suddenly sweeping the nation, and it's appeal is equally undeniable and unexplainable. The unique thing about the movie Napoleon Dynamite is that there is very little grey area when asking someone what they thought of it, it has a true love-hate relationship with those who have viewed it.

I have actually seen the movie several times now, and with quite a few audiences (meaning those who enjoyed it and those who didn't). The factor that remains constant, however, is that everybody I know that has seen it multiple times has inevitably grown to enjoy the film more and more every time they watch the dry and slow comedy unfold. I myself didn't even necessarily require a repeat viewing to be infected by this condition, as merely living my life after seeing the movie continually allowed my roommates and I to quote some famous lines from the film as applied to our everyday lives. Soon, my appreciation grew. Once the DVD was available I quickly bought it and watched it again to remind me what about makes me like it. Oddly, I can't always pick out what this is exactly, but I leave the viewing feeling like time was well spent every time.

To be honest, I didn't even really get that much into the movie when I saw it in the theater until very late in the movie. For anyone who hasn't seen it that may read this (who reads this at all anyway???), I'll try to not give anything away. Basically, in the end, seemingly "skill-less" Napoleon finds that he can deeply impact the lives of those around him by following the very lesson he gives to the young children on the bus in the opening scene. When asked what he's going to do today by one child he replies, "Whatever I feel like I wanna do, gosh!" The significance of this and many of his other lines in the film relate to his sense of individuality and lack of self-consciousness in most situations. On the other hand though, he is repeatedly seen throughout the movie lying to others about events and conditions of his life so as to possibly fit in, while actually excluding himself further in the process. What we find in this closing scene is the evolution of Napoleon, in which his seeming lack of caring for the opinions of others and his deeper desire to impress those around him coincide in a scene that will be etched in my memory for some time to come. His bravery in the face of adversity has further reaching consequences than initially presumed, and this one event in his otherwise mundane life is the foundation for the entire film. Some find this to not be enough to base an entire movie upon, but I on the other hand must digress. When we look back upon our own lives we must ask ourselves, is there a moment in our lives worthy of the plot in a motion picture? Additionally, we must also ask would we have acted so courageously in such a situation as Napoleon did? Unfortunately, I think many of us cannot answer yes to either question.

What this is all leading to is a deeper meditation on my part in regards to my own life. What have I done lately to change the lives of those around me? I fear that the answer is not easily found. When I look at myself and my surroundings I wonder who or what is better off with me around right now? Now, don't assume I'm going to go into some depressing monalouge about the condition of my life, but this is really a question we should all ask. Age and experience should be no excuse either. This is the ultimate of all goals, to change the answers to these questions, and I think it might just about be time to do something about it.

So, if you haven't seen Napoleon Dynamite yet, please give it a look. And when you watch it, give it a chance. Try hard to see deeper than the stupidity that is shoved directly in your face, because the movie truly has more meaning than just that. And while you're at, try to do "Whatever I feel like I wanna do, gosh!"