Gosh!

This weekend brought the long awaited (well, in my household, anyway) viewing of Napoleon Dynamite. I was told that it was really good & that I'd probably enjoy it.

"So, did you?" you ask? Hmm...how do I put this?

Lessee...imagine, if you will, walking into a room & seeing the family cat practicing on the tuba. You'd walk in, see the cat &, even though you know that it's a little strange seeing a feline handle a brass instrument, your brain still kind of overloads for a minute & you have a hard time wrapping your mind around the sight. That pretty much sums up Napoleon Dynamite - it's the movie equivalent of a cat playing a tuba.

"But, did you like it?" you're still asking.

Simple answer - yes, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Slightly more complicated answer - yes, I thoroughly enjoyed it. But it wasn't near as funny as everyone was making it out to be.

The story was strange, to say the least. The main characters all seemed like they were stoned or had taken too much Ny-Quil, each speaking in different monotone pitch (except Uncle Rico, the only one to really show any range). Some of them were hysterical, but after awhile, the main character in particular was a little annoying. Funny, but still a little annoying. The mishmash of eras (some were dressed like they came out of a Go Go's video, others like they went to the vintage 70's section of the local thrift shop, etc) was a little distracting at times, as I spent part of the movie trying to figure out when the story was supposed to take place.

All in all, though, a good watch. No swearing or sex (thank goodness). Just a bewildered feeling after having watched it.

Like after one sees a cat playing a tuba.

Three & a half Ligers out of a possible five