The Beauty of Napoleon Dynamite

I watched this DVD a few weeks ago. As far as entertainment value goes, it kinda sneaks up on you like a fog- you don't realize how much you really enjoyed it until it seeps under your skin a few days later and won't let go.

The reason I think I enjoyed it so much is because it contained so much verisimilitude. Many adults I've talked with hate it, and their main critique, in varying words, is that it's "pointless".

I agree. It is pointless.

But that's the whole point. As an effort to capture the life of an Idahoan student in the throes of high school, it succeeded. For many people, life is pointless.

Running for high school president will easily be the most exciting venture that some people ever undertake. Sad, but true. At least Napoleon Dynamite was able to celebrate life's little victories instead of bemoaning the large ones that never occur.

In real life, there are rarely explosions and car chases to move on the parade of earthly existence. Instead, our lives are filled with feeding pets, finding love, helping friends, and doing things we enjoy.

If we're lucky.

I for one, was glad to see a movie that wasn't afraid to cover the sticky topic of the mundane- and succeed wonderfully in showing us that the everyday can easily translate to the spectacular, if we'll only let it.