Napoleon Dynamite's Decade Setting Is Confusing - But There Is an Answer (2024)

Released in 2004, Napoleon Dynamite has all the ingredients of a cult classic. Its deadpan sense of humor mixed with its unique aesthetic makes for a memorable movie about a socially awkward teenager navigating the problems of adolescence. Despite its popularity, Napoleon Dynamite causes some confusion in terms of when the story actually takes place. Given its aesthetic and style, many people assume that it took place sometime in the 1980s, while there's just as much evidence that it's based in the 1990s.

There's one overlooked element in Napoleon Dynamite that confirms when the movie is set. According to the titular character's student ID, Napoleon Dynamite takes place sometime between 2004 and 2005, which goes against the visual style of the entire movie. Still, it's this juxtaposition between production style and story relevance that makes this film so intriguing and an instant cult classic.

Updated by Timothy Blake Donohoo on June 24, 2024: Now turning 20 years old, the cult classic Napoleon Dynamite is still fondly remembered by a generation of viewers. While considered funny by many, there are just as many audiences confused as to what year Napoleon Dynamite is set in. There's actually a definitive answer at the beginning of the movie, but this is somewhat contradicted by various other elements in the movie. This includes the music, which dates Napoleon Dynamite in an interesting way.

The '80s Sensibilities of Napoleon Dynamite

Even though Napoleon Dynamite'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 now cheesy '80s. Due to the film's 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. This includes her own crimped style and side ponytail, evoking an old-school fitness instructor, in a way. 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 heavily evokes the design trends of the 1980s. Given that Napoleon Dynamite takes place over 20 years later, however, 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. Likewise, given that Kip seemingly doesn't have a job until he begins selling Tupperware with Uncle Rico, their lack of funds and their grandmother's likely fixed income further explains the lack of updates. Speaking of Rico, he notes that his girlfriend once claimed that he's "living too much in '82," which makes things obvious that the 1980s are seemingly a thing of the past by the time of the movie's events.

How Napoleon Dynamite's Direction Stands Out From Other Teen Comedies

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 around 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 about 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. In fact, it's largely 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. Napoleon Dynamite was released before 1980s nostalgia truly hit the mainstream, with the Netflix series Stranger Things still a decade away. Likewise, the movie was also ahead of the curve when it came to the genre of "cringe comedy," with much of the humor being derived from how socially awkward Napoleon and his friends and family are. In a way, this foreshadowed the similar humor of comedians such as Eric Andre and the TV series Impractical Jokers. This sense of being ahead of the curve made Napoleon Dynamite even more chronologically confusing, as does the film's soundtrack.

Napoleon Dynamite Has Several Elements of the 1990s

A major element that confuses audiences as to when Napoleon Dynamite is set is easily the movie's soundtrack. Much of the actual score is based on synth "muzak" that wouldn't be out of place in a mall during the 1980s and 1990s. The movie actually begins with the song "We're Going to Be Friends," which was released by rock band The White Stripes in 2002. Conversely, the 1980s theme can be felt through the ending song, When In Rome's "The Promise." This song has been used for several other movies tied to that decade, including the recent 2024 film, Lisa Frankenstein. At the same time, these are only some of the "dated" songs, with others making the setting of Napoleon Dynamite even more perplexing.

The movie's climax has Napoleon Dynamite learning how to dance thanks to a hip-hop videotape, and this is clearly based on the New Jack Swing RnB and hip-hop music of the 1990s. Said musical style was pioneered by Teddy Riley and acts such as New Edition, Mint Condition, Bobby Brown and other groups, and it also inspired 1990s video game scores, namely the early Sonic the Hedgehog titles. This clearly showcases what year Napoleon Dynamite is set in by way of confirming that it's not the 1980s. Likewise, the movie's final song and dance sequences involve tracks by the Backstreet Boys and Jamiroquai, both of which were big in the final decade before the millennium. It's a symbol of how the Napoleon Dynamite time period is muddied by music, art and design, showcasing how culture in Preston, Idaho marches on extremely slowly. While time might not move quickly in this town, Napoleon Dynamite is most definitely a timeless classic.

Napoleon Dynamite

PG

Comedy

Director

Jared Hess

Release Date

August 27, 2004

Cast

Jon Heder , Efren Ramirez , Jon Gries , Aaron Ruell

Runtime

96 minutes

Main Genre

Comedy