The 10 Best Children’s Films You (May) Never Have Heard Of… #10 Napoleon Dynamite

“It's Gonna Be a Dynamite Summer”

The most quotable movie ever? Certainly in our house. But it’s the delivery that makes these lines so funny, as uber-nerdy Napoleon, his brother Pip and his best friend Pedro struggle to come to terms with the absurdity of life and particularly love in small town Preston, Idaho. This is lo-fi fun played for deadpan laughs by a terrific cast, led by the outstanding Jon Heder in the title role, who’s goofy, gawkish, adolescent creation manages to straddle the great divide and be at the same time one of the most cringe-making and also cool screen heroes of all time.

Production Quality

••• This was made cheaply, it is what it is.

Story

•••• Hilarious, and ultimately redeeming, of course

Holding the Kid’s Attention

••••• It’s soooo slow, but still they love it