Released way back in 2004, Napoleon Dynamite was one of those movies that defined a generation. The comedy film stars Jon Heder as the title character, a socially awkward high school student who lives with his grandmother and unemployed 30-something year brother until his uncle Rico comes to help out when grandma gets injured. Constantly being bullied, Napoleon lives in his own fantasy world, and appears hilariously aloof.
With attempts at get rich quick schemes, interactions with Napoleon’s two only friends, the shy young girl Deb and awkward transfer student Pedro, and preparations for a high school dance, the movie is simply comedy gold. And like many other comedic films, it has spawned tons of memes that will make those who have already seen the film once (or more), want to watch again, and those who haven’t yet seen it (how dare you?!) wonder what all the fuss is about. Here are 10 of the most hilarious ones floating around the internet.
I Like Your Sleeves…
Talk about unique pick-up lines. This one takes the cake, perfectly reflecting Napoleon’s awkwardness, yet also his kind heart. He really means to deliver a compliment when he utters these words in the movie, yet he can only muster up a comment that literally describes the outfit.
It works, doesn’t it? I mean, if a woman’s shirt or dress has nice sleeves, it has nice sleeves. Nothing wrong with pointing out the obvious and trying to pass it off as flattery.
Things Are Getting Serious…
This callback to Napoleon’s brother Kip and his feelings about his relationship with his “girlfriend” LaFawnduh is just perfect, suggesting that the simplest, perhaps even really insignificant gesture, must mean a relationship is being taken to the next level.
What makes it particularly hilarious is that, in the movie, Kip has only ever talked to LaFawnduh online at the time that he says this. They’ve never met in person. Yet he believes they’re in a serious relationship because they talk online for hours every day. And to think this movie came out pre-Facebook and the explosion of social media.
Vote for Pedro
Say these three words, and anyone who has seen the movie will know exactly what you’re talking about. A major plotline in the story follows Pedro’s run for class president, and he and his friends’ constant urging to fellow students to “vote for Pedro” as they hand out flyers and buttons. No matter your political leanings, Pedro is always the best candidate.
Eat Your Heart Out
Uncle Rico swears could have made it to the NFL, so this hilarious meme speaks volumes for anyone who remembers his constant mentions of how great a football player he was in his younger days. Sorry, Uncle Rico.
Lucky!
It’s all about the inflection with this one: the emphasis has to be on the latter part of the word as you raise your voice an octave or so to say “luck-ee!”
This was one of Napoleon’s many favorite comments, usually dished out when someone alluded to something he found favorable. It’s the perfect meme to send to friends to express innocent jealousy because they have the day off work, got a cool present, or snagged the last tater tot from the diner.
Don’t Touch My Tots!
When it comes to lunch time, if it’s a sandwich, Napoleon can take it or leave it. Pudding cup? Potato salad? French fries? Meh. But don’t mess with a guy’s tater tots.
They’re good for lunch, or even stuffing in your pocket to snack on later. This meme says give me tots – or whatever food it is I covet - or go away. But not in a nice way.
Awkward Deb
Sure, Deb was awkward, but super sweet, and not nearly as socially challenged as Napoleon. And that side ponytail? It was everything. But still, she was the shy, oddly dressed girl who didn’t get much attention in high school.
So placing her side-by-side with the confident Joan from Mad Men, with her perfectly coiffed hair and stylish outfit, is too hilarious a comparison to pass up.
Gosh!
Napoleon Dynamite really is just an hour and-a-half of awkward conversations with no eye contact, and tons of quotable lines. Two more words that Napoleon loved to use to express his emotions, which were often anger, annoyance, and frustration, were “Idiot!” and “Gosh!”
The word “Gooosh,” as noted in this meme, was drawn out to really let you know that he just wants to be left alone to practice dancing in his room. Can’t a guy just learn some hip hop? It’s a perfectly clever way to demonstrate how teenagers can be so aloof.
Don’t Be Jealous
As noted, Kip spent his days in the house, chatting to his girlfriend LaFawnduh, who he does eventually meet and fall madly in love with. But this meme is a shout out to anyone who has ever sat behind a computer screen chatting with people they don’t really know and developing “real relationships.”
Are they all “babes?” Probably not. They’re likely not even who you think they are. Oddly enough, the movie came out before social media took over and catfishing was part of everyday lingo. Luckily, Kip did indeed meet the woman of his dreams. So maybe his story gives others hope that they can enjoy the same luckiness in love he had.
Heck Ya, I Can Dance
Anyone who has seen the movie and hears Jamiroquai’s ‘90s song “Canned Heat” will want to immediately burst into dance, or at least envision the most iconic scene from the film.
In it, Napoleon takes to the stage at school to finally showcase everything he learned from the “how to dance hip hop” VHS he had been using to practice within his room every night. The moves and the performance are so mesmerizingly awful, yet you can’t help but look away. And hey, his gyrating got Pedro elected in the end, so it was all worth it.
