Even at the time it was polarizing. And yeah it basically was filmed in the style of a home movie. Movie cost 400,000 to make and made almost 50 million as a fun fact
When I was young my hair was longer and it poofed out. Add to that glasses and me being awkward and a bunch of people would call me napoleon dynamite. Definitely contributed to me not liking it that much.
I remember seeing it when it made it to DVD at some point and not making it all the way through the movie due to not enjoying it. I never tried to rewatch it after the fact.
I rewatched it a few years ago. Didn't much care for it. But remember when it first came out (I was around 20 at the time) and liked it.
On a side note; I totally owned the Huffy Sledgehammer bike just like the one in the movie. I had gotten it when I was around 13 years old. I got it out of grandma and grandpa's garage and sold it on Craigslist for $100, when it should have been worth like $25.
Also, yes. I did take it on some pretty sweet jumps.