Thursday, December 30, 2004
Dynamite!
The other day I finally watched “Napoleon Dynamite” (that is to say, it finally came out on video). I have been anxiously wanting to watch this film, and not just because it got good reviews and has begun to act somewhat like a cult classic.
The star of the show, the man who plays Napoleon Dynamite himself, was my roommate at BYU.
Jon Heder and I lived together (with one other guy, Nathan) at the Riverside apartments for fall semester 2000, my last semester at BYU. We all had our own rooms, and I was only there for four months, so Jon and I never became really close (though we were home teaching companions). In fact, I think I was closer to Nathan than to Jon at the time (at least, I have Nathan’s current email address, but not Jon’s).
When I mention this fact to people, the first question they always ask me is, “Is he really like that?” Or, more specifically, “Is he that weird?”
Weird, yes. He was a bit weird. (And if you’re reading this, Jon, I mean that in a totally good way.) But I can’t say he was exactly weird like that. He emoted. He smiled all the time and was a very carefree, go-lucky guy. And Jon’s hair, unlike Napoleon’s, was straight and floppy. But sometimes he dressed like Napoleon. In fact, as I watched the film, I exclaimed that Napoleon’s discount-store polyester prom suit must have been taken straight from Jon’s closet, because I swear I have seen him wear that puppy to church.
I never would have pegged Jon for a movie star—I was totally taken by surprise when I was browsing film trailers online a few months ago and recognized him. But he was a film major, and I do recall that he played some weird superhero part in someone’s student film. I remember he had a yellow suit with red underwear on the outside, and his superpowers had something to do with a tricycle (Jon, if you’re reading this, maybe you could refresh my memory). I don’t think he was planning on acting professionally four years ago, though.
Anyway, I guess that’s what I have to say about the movie. I loved it. I thought it was fresh and different and weird (in a good way, like Jon). I’m proud to have a personal connection to it, more significant than my good friendship with one of the extras in “Mona Lisa Smile.” I wonder if there will be a “Napoleon Dynamite 2: Uncle Rico’s Revenge”. Let’s all hope so.
The star of the show, the man who plays Napoleon Dynamite himself, was my roommate at BYU.
Jon Heder and I lived together (with one other guy, Nathan) at the Riverside apartments for fall semester 2000, my last semester at BYU. We all had our own rooms, and I was only there for four months, so Jon and I never became really close (though we were home teaching companions). In fact, I think I was closer to Nathan than to Jon at the time (at least, I have Nathan’s current email address, but not Jon’s).
When I mention this fact to people, the first question they always ask me is, “Is he really like that?” Or, more specifically, “Is he that weird?”
Weird, yes. He was a bit weird. (And if you’re reading this, Jon, I mean that in a totally good way.) But I can’t say he was exactly weird like that. He emoted. He smiled all the time and was a very carefree, go-lucky guy. And Jon’s hair, unlike Napoleon’s, was straight and floppy. But sometimes he dressed like Napoleon. In fact, as I watched the film, I exclaimed that Napoleon’s discount-store polyester prom suit must have been taken straight from Jon’s closet, because I swear I have seen him wear that puppy to church.
I never would have pegged Jon for a movie star—I was totally taken by surprise when I was browsing film trailers online a few months ago and recognized him. But he was a film major, and I do recall that he played some weird superhero part in someone’s student film. I remember he had a yellow suit with red underwear on the outside, and his superpowers had something to do with a tricycle (Jon, if you’re reading this, maybe you could refresh my memory). I don’t think he was planning on acting professionally four years ago, though.
Anyway, I guess that’s what I have to say about the movie. I loved it. I thought it was fresh and different and weird (in a good way, like Jon). I’m proud to have a personal connection to it, more significant than my good friendship with one of the extras in “Mona Lisa Smile.” I wonder if there will be a “Napoleon Dynamite 2: Uncle Rico’s Revenge”. Let’s all hope so.
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