Jared Hess makes an unforgettable directorial debut with Napoleon Dynamite , a hilarious, tender, and original portrait of a truly eccentric character. Napoleon Dynamite (Jon Heder) is a high-school outcast in every sense of the word. More interested in playing tetherball by himself and drawing pictures of his favorite animal, the "liger" (a combination of a lion and a tiger), Napoleon is ignored by everyone in his tiny hometown of Preston, Idaho. Written by Hess and his wife Jerusha, the film brilliantly captures the awkwardness of high school without succumbing to condescension. Most of this can be attributed to Heder, who steps into Napoleon´s moon boots with a jaw-dropping flawlessness Napoleon Dynamite. Add a hilarious soundtrack of 1980s hits and you have an instant classic, a crowd-pleasing riot that has an undeniably universal appeal.