When first look at the hit movie Napoleon Dynamite one can only think of the cheesy characters in the movie. Think about each character from Pedro for President, Kip training to be a cage fighter & chatting with babes all day, Unlce Rico wanting to relive nonexistent glory days of 1982, and Napoleon participating in the happy hands club & talking about mythical creatures. However, when we look deeper into the movie past all the one liner quotes and the sensational dance scene by Napoleon there is more then meets the eye.
Napoleon's gift he shows throughout the movie is perseverance. He never gives up no matter what happens, even when his own family Uncle Rico continually humiliates him. Napoleon continually Lives on Hope. Though Napoleon gets continually rejected he always offers his friendship. He continually searches for community and friendship which is hardwired into our souls. That is something so amazing because he does not try to be anything that he is not. How many times in our own lives have we found ourselves trying to be something that we were not? Napoleon does not care what anyone else thinks of him.
On a similar note, the film affirms that everyone is worthy, no matter how geeky, different, or damaged. This obvious mirrors the teaching of JPIIs Theology of the Body in that everyone is created by and for Love. We are created in the image of the living God. This is such an amazing thing to see in the movie how Napoleon always offers people acceptance even when he was rejected. He sees the beauty in people even if it is displayed in a weird way. We see this best when he tells Deb how pretty she is in telling her that she could be drinking whole milk instead of 1%.
Throughout the movie we see the tether ball court as an important landmark for the characters, especially Napoleon. The movie ends and begins at the tether ball court with Napoleon asking Summer and Deb if they would like to play him. The first results in rejection, where we continually see rejection occur, and the last acceptance were the movie ends with Napoleon and Deb playing together. So from start to finish we walk through the journey of Napoleon from zero to hero. Napoleon pretty much changed the culture of his school and family just by being himself throughout the movie. If God can use Napoleon this way it is living proof that God uses anyone. We should never give up on the dreams that God has for us! It is simply our vocation to lead others to Christ. We continually see throughout the Bible of God choosing the weak to lead the strong.
Next time you find yourself watching the ridiculously awesome movie of Napoleon Dynamite. So the moral of the movie is to don't try to be anything then who you are. We must find our identity in Christ and put that into action. Notice how Napoleon "Lives on Hope" and tells Pedro "Listen to your heart... that's what I do!"
Seeing this for the first time on Monday, I can honestly say that this is a pretty darn good movie. I saw it from a different persepective than most of y'all, considering it was my first viewing, and I was impressed by all the material we could pull out of it. Just goes to show how much stuff actually gets filed into out subconscious.
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