What year does Napolean Dynamite take place?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

me and some freinds are trying to figure it out, i wanna say early 90s. does anyone know for sure?

― JD from CDepot, Tuesday, 1 February 2005 03:56 (twenty years ago)

In the opening credits, I think they show Napolean's school ID & it says "2004-2005". But the moon boots, nunchucks & BMX bikes are unmistakably 80's.

― jay blanchard (jay blanchard), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 04:36 (twenty years ago)

No. I think it's very specifically set in the "present day," to the extent that anything in the movie is to be taken as a "faithful" recreation of an era and a setting. (Criminy, the kid dances to "Canned Heat" at the end!) More likely, the moon boots and side ponytails are supposed to be a light joke at the ten-years-behind-the-curve-ness of rural America. LaFawnda's mix tape is Napoleon's key to the mystical other world. (Choosing Jamiroquai is a masterstroke because it evokes both rubber-limbed faux-funk as well as alterna-pop overproduced gloss. It's not particularly more outré than the teen pop Hilary Duff's sister dances to at the rally, but everyone thinks it is and that's all that matters.)

Can't say I buy into the film wholesale, though.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 08:43 (twenty years ago)

I'm not so sure we should be asking what year. I think "what dimension" is more like it. For my money, I'd say it's a dimension that should never be explored in movies again as to avoid burdening the world with crap like this again.

― Anthony (Anthony F), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 14:18 (twenty years ago)

Ditto.

Far better films have been ostensibly set in the present while retaining a '70s/80s vibe, ie Rushmore. (Hell, even The Rules of Attraction is better than ND.)

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 14:34 (twenty years ago)

It was certainly not deserving of the attention it's gotten. It's a fun movie for the pre-teen set. Case closed.

― jay blanchard (jay blanchard), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 18:04 (twenty years ago)

The best thing I can say for it is that the main actor nails his part to a T. The overreachingly sullenness to a) stave off heat from the jocks/bullies/etc, and b) hopefully seem like one of the jocks/bullies/etc through association to those who are lower on the social totem pole, or kids in lower grades.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Tuesday, 1 February 2005 19:48 (twenty years ago)

im not much of a film buff, i was just posting that out of curiosity, but i have to say that ND is one of the sweetest movies ive seen in a while (not sweet as in SWEET! but as in nice.)

i just finished watching American Splendor, which im much more in love with.

― JD from CDepot, Wednesday, 2 February 2005 00:46 (twenty years ago)

be gentle guys....

― jay blanchard (jay blanchard), Wednesday, 2 February 2005 13:38 (twenty years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.