PG
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

Introduction

Most youth have already seen this film, as is evidenced from seemingly non-stop Napoleon quoting. This movie worked well as a topic for discussion when we started with scripture verses, watched the movie, and then took a look at the questions.

As most young people know already, Napoleon Dynamite is a film about the title character, Napoleon, helping his new friend Pedro in his bid for class president. Beyond that, it’s a film about all aspects of friendship: girl/boy friendships, best friendships, making new friends, and having friends you don’t always know about. On a deeper level, Napoleon Dynamite is about knowing yourself and becoming comfortable with who you are, or as Christians would phrase it, who God made you to be.

There are lots of directions a group discussion could go after this movie. The main focus of this study is on friendships and love, particularly with relation to the source of all love, God.

What does the Bible say?

Start with the Bible references (use as many or as few as are appropriate for your group). Remember or write down one key point from each reading; something that summarizes the reading for your group.

• 1 Corinthians 12 (many members of one body)
• 1 John 4:7-8 [9-12] (we love why?)
• Colossians 3:12-17 (how we act with one another)
• Matthew 25:31-40 (what we do on behalf of those we don’t know)
• Matthew 19:27-30 and Matthew 16:24-26 (what relationship is most important?)
• Matthew 5:1-12 (what will ‘the blessed’ be like?)
• Philippians 2:1-4 (how we act with one another and also how we are as a community)
• Micah 6:6-8 (what does God call us to do?)
• Deuteronomy 10:17-19 (how we act toward the stranger)

Now watch the movie

1. Watch the movie.
2. Enjoy the movie.
3. Laugh out loud at the movie.
4. Don’t get too nostalgic when the movie reminds you of your own experience in high school.

Discussion questions

After viewing the film, work through some or all of the following questions, recalling the key points from the scripture readings above.

• What’s unique about Napoleon? What are his gifts? (These may or may not be different from his skills.) What does he do well?
• Who values his gifts? Who doesn’t? (Consider grandma, Pedro, Deb, Kip, Uncle Rico, Trisha, Summer, Don.)
• Who values him as a person? Who doesn’t? (Is this list different from the previous? Why?)
• Do you know anyone like Napoleon?
• How are you like Napoleon? How are you like Trisha? Kip? Pedro?
• Napoleon seems perpetually argumentative. Why is this?
• Is Rex onto something in his system, Rex-Kwon-Do? (A buddy system, where someone’s always watching your back.) Whose back are you watching?
• Who believed Kip and LaFawnduh would get together?
• What’s Uncle Rico’s problem? Why is he living in the past?
• Why does Napoleon get a standing ovation after the skit?
• Napoleon tells Pedro that he doesn’t have any skills. What made him say that?

We always end with the question, “Where is God in this film?” That question is sure to prompt some interesting conversation in relation to Napoleon Dynamite.

As with anything, feel free to adapt this guide to your own situation. Enjoy the film, enjoy the discussion, and enjoy one another. And remember, the first word and the last word is always, “God Loves You.”