Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

The piece highlights the film as offering the most laughs at Sundance in years amid mostly dramatic entries. It singles out the comedic energy and deadpan humor for praise.

The critic praises this low-budget indie as a subversive high-school comedy that proves small filmmakers can succeed commercially. The awkward, endearing central character and his gallery of eccentric small-town caricatures are singled out as the film's strongest asset.

The critic calls it an uneven film that borders on brilliance, praising its ingenuity, adorably insane characters and Jon Heder's perfect performance while noting narrative problems towards the end.

The critic finds the film a flawed but credible debut that should find cult success in the UK, praising the indelible characters and beautiful landscapes while noting the unlikeable lead, near-absence of plot, and meandering quirky set-pieces.

The critic admires the commitment to a clear vision of rural America as a comic wonderland but finds it quickly becomes a one-note exercise in laughing at the yokels and artificial awkwardness. It singles out the consistent caricature and lack of emotional investment for complaint.

The critic describes the odd, amusing debut as a small-scale deadpan film whose quirky, awkward characters and meandering observations are charming but lead to dull stretches and an unconvincingly uplifting ending that compromises its weird individuality.

The critic finds the cartoonish paean to its uber-nerd antihero a simple collection of sight gags mining familiar awkward adolescence turf without originality, possessing a smugness that is irritating and a feel-good ending that does not ring true.

The critic finds the film pushes studied stupidity as humor and makes no attempt to make its hero likable or to function as a comedy. He compares it unfavorably to more passionate films about outsiders and notes the Sundance audience reaction.

The critic condemns the film as soulless and anti-humanist, placing it on par with the worst comedies and comparing it to Dumb and Dumberer. It singles out the shallow bumblefuckery, reliance on stereotypes, and lack of nuance or compassion for complaint.

The critic hails the Sundance premiere as an off-beat comedy with cult potential, full of sly absurdities and a memorable über-nerd protagonist. Hess's affectionate yet droll portrayal of rural eccentrics and social outcasts is singled out for praise.

The critic praises the film's quirky, vignette-driven story of a gawky Idaho teen and his eccentric family and friends as a charming sleeper hit. He singles out the deadpan comic performance and affectionate portrayal of small-town oddballs for particular delight.

The critic praises the film's eccentric yet positive portrayal of small-town high school losers who discover their skills. It highlights the hopeful message behind the quirky characters rather than mocking them.