Summary
Deb inNapoleon Dynamiteis one-third of the strangest and funniest trio of high schoolers that has ever appeared in an indie film. Released in 2004,Napoleon Dynamiteis thequintessential quirky high school comedythat millennials are still quoting to this day. Its listless story, aimless characters, and general lack of conflict make it a hard film to grasp, yet, it’s one of the funniest movies of the 2000s and an unexpectedly heartfelt story. It’s almost like theNapoleon Dynamitefilmmakers took a camera, planted it in Idaho, and just presented what they caught.
Some may say it’s not their cup of tea, but they’re forgetting Uncle Rico (Jon Gries) hurling a cooked steak at Napoleon (Jon Heder), or Rex (Diedrich Bader) saying he used to look like Peter Pan over here (Aaron Ruell as Kip), or maybe they’re forgetting Tina Majorino as Deb offering glamour photographs. Prior toNapoleon Dynamite, Majorino had appeared in some notable films and shows,likeWaterworldas Enola and the showCamp Wilderas Sophie Wilder, but she seemed like a completely fresh face as Deb, and the actress’s career has only grown since.
30 Napoleon Dynamite Quotes That Will Make You Say “Gosh!”
The best Napoleon Dynamite quotes show that whether he’s griping about his lack of nunchuck skills or fighting with Uncle Rico, he’s always hilarious.
Deb Is Napoleon’s Shy Friend In Napoleon Dynamite
Napoleon And Deb Have An Adorable Romance
Deb is a student at Napoleon Dynamite’s high school. She’s shy and a bit of a dork, truth be told, though essentially everyone inNapoleon Dynamiteis in one way or another, even the “popular” kids.Deb sells trinkets and offers her services as a “glamour photographer” to help pay for college, which is how she meets Napoleon and the two have, what in this film, passes for sparks. Deb and Napoleon dance together at the school ball, and the pair help Pedro (Efren Ramirez) pursue his goal of becoming class president.
Majorino’s performance is as subtle as a character can be without them disappearing off the film stock, but it’s perfect.
However, when Uncle Rico’s sales pitch embarrasses Deb and Napoleon, the two lose touch, though they come back to each other in the end. Majorino’s performance is as subtle as a character can be without them disappearing off the film stock, but it’s perfect. Viewers either know, or maybe were, that quiet, creative, undaunted girl who had a style all her own, spoke words as if she were hoarding them, and was sweet and honest to anyone she would open up to. Majorino pinpoints that character and nails it perfectly.
Napoleon Dynamite has his quirks, but Deb doesn’t seem to mind.Their relationship is one of a few strange romances in the movie, and it’s almost tear-jerking at the end when they play tetherball, which inNapoleon Dynamitemay as well be a kiss. And when they high-five afterward, it’s like the wedding is on.
Napoleon Dynamite
Cast
Considered a cult classic, Napoleon Dynamite follows the titular character, an awkward high school student from a small town in Idaho. The film follows Napoleon’s life as he deals with the antics of his strange family, his romantic feelings for a fellow classmate, and his assistance of a friend to win Class President over the school’s popular girl. Jon Heder stars as Napoleon Dynamite, with a further class that includes Efren Ramirez, Tina Majorino, Aaron Ruell, and Jon Gries.
Deb Actor Tina Majorino Starred In Veronica Mars & Other TV Shows
Majorino Has Frequently Played Recurring Characters In Notable Shows
Tina Majorino’s other most notable role came the same year asNapoleon Dynamite, in 2004. That year,she was cast inVeronica Marsas Cindy “Mac” Mackenzie, a recurring character in seasons 1 and 2 and a main character in season 3. Mac is a computer expert friend of Veronica (Kristen Bell) and similar to Deb — if Deb suddenly became the most confident high school character ever. Both girls are outsiders, but Mac is a much more outgoing and traditionally “cool” character, even ifher computer skills ageVeronica Mars.
Tina Majorino returned to voice Deb in the short-livedNapoleon Dynamiteanimated series in 2012 but did not return for the season 4 revival ofVeronica Marsin 2019.
Majorino hasn’t quite surpassed her success inNapoleon DynamiteandVeronica Mars, but she has been steadily working. She had recurring roles inDeep Loveas Heather Tuttle,Bonesas Genevieve Shaw, andGrey’s Anatomyas Dr. Heather Brooks. Though she doesn’t have any upcoming projects at the moment, manyNapoleon Dynamitefans would love to see Tina Majorino on their screens again.
Veronica Mars
Veronica Mars is a drama mystery series that stars Kristen Bell as the titular teen detective who learns the ropes from her father, a California police sheriff. Following a “crime-of-the-week” episode format, each episode sees Veronica tackling new cases while carrying on her High School life, with a more significant, overarching plot carrying between episodes. Veronica’s side career begins following the death of her best friend, which sets off a chain of events leading to several smaller cases.
