Napoleon Dynamite is a comedy from 2004 that has remained a fan-favorite and a cult classic over the years. Its deadpan sense of humor mixed with its unique aesthetic makes it a memorable movie about a socially-awkward teenager navigating the problems of adolescence. But Napoleon Dynamite causes some confusion in terms of when the story actually takes place. Given its aesthetic and style, many people assume that it takes place sometime in the 1980s, but there’s a small detail in the movie that proves that hypothesis wrong.
According to the titular character’s student ID, Napoleon Dynamite takes place sometime in 2004 or 2005, which goes against the visual style of the entire movie. But it’s this juxtaposition between production style and story relevance that makes this film so intriguing and an instant cult classic.
Even though Napoleon’s student ID card clears up when exactly the story takes place, the movie’s other details, including the setting and overall style and design, leave viewers confused. For example, one of the most iconic scenes in the film features glamour shots, which were popular in the ’80s. Due to the films’ setting, however, this scene supposedly happens in 2004-2005, when its popularity had long since ceded. Deb Bradshaw, Napoleon’s love interest, does glamour shots at her house, with full makeup and hair that looks exactly like it did in the ’80s. Either Deb has an obsession with a decades-old trend or the scene is meant to stand out as a stylistic choice, but either way, it raises some questions.
Another stylistic choice that calls the decade setting into question is the production design of Napoleon’s house. It looks like it hasn’t been updated since the ’80s at a minimum, with an awful yellow theme and spotty wallpaper. Along with the carpeted floors, his entire house just screams “We’re from the ’80s!” But since Napoleon Dynamite takes place over 20 years later, it doesn’t make much sense. The only reasonable explanation is that Napoleon and his brother were too lazy to re-do the house, which is understandable given that one of them is still in high school and likely doesn’t have the money for that kind of renovation.
Besides these specific examples, the overall tone and style of the movie don’t fit with the decade in which it’s supposed to take place. The brown color palette, the center-framing for shots and the muzak-style score make for a distinctly nostalgic film, even though it takes place during the year it was produced. It may have been an intentional choice by the director meant to give the film a more nostalgic feel, but it mostly just confused viewers who were unclear on when Napoleon Dynamite is set. The only indication in the whole movie about the true date is Napoleon’s ID card, and some viewers don’t notice tiny details like that.
While it may be confusing for some people, Napoleon Dynamite‘s idiosyncrasies make it an interesting watch and a cult classic for many viewers. Maybe it’s because the style doesn’t match the setting that so many people liked the movie — the juxtaposition of the two makes for an interesting dynamic and makes the movie unique in its genre.
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