Tapawingo (2025)

-Written by Kyle Bain.

When a forty-something weirdo, Nate Skoog (Jon Heder) becomes the bodyguard of a teenaged boy, the local bullies rally to make his life miserable. Tapawingo follows Nate on his journey toward recognition through chaos. 

If you like the kitschy nature of Napoleon Dynamite, then Tapawingo will tickle your fancy, will appeal to your senses, and ultimately kick you in the balls (in the best way?). It’s fair to say that Writer-Director Dylan K. Narang and Co-Writer Brad DeMarea were heavily inspired by the success of the aforementioned Napoleon Dynamite. An oddball protagonist (portrayed by Heder once again), the minority sidekick of sorts, Will Luna (Jay Pichardo), and wildly asinine bullies work as something of a plug and play in this algorithm of stupidity. Once again, however, I think it works. 

Does it work to the same degree as Napoleon Dynamite did? Certainly not.  And, maybe it’s unfair to keep comparing Tapawingo to the former, but, again, it’s, in many ways, the same. How could I not make comparisons?

To be honest, it’s difficult to write this review. There’s nothing really new or unique--but I’ll do my best. 

Do I care about the narrative? Nope. Do I care about the characters? Also no.

So, what the heck did I care about?

Well, I care about the fact that Narang and DeMarea were able to create a mindless film that managed to entertain. Tapawingo is stupidly funny, almost ironically funny--because the things that made me laugh were things that would also make an eight year old child chuckle. It’s immature comedy that is strewn throughout this film, and I was able to disassociate from the rest of the world as Tapawingo played out as a result. 

What stands out throughout Tapawingo (and feels almost genuine in comparison to the rest of the film) is the constant use of hi-hats in the score. The repeated insertion of the cymbal works to create high energy and develop an ever-quickening pace for the narrative. The rhythmic score creates consistency within Tapawingo, something that doesn’t really exist otherwise. This consistency creates a much needed balance that transcends the film, providing something for those viewers that want something a bit more grounded. 

Tapawingo is a film that causes seemingly endless questions to arise. My viewing experience was far different than most that I’ve had in the past. I didn’t walk away going “that worked,” “that didn’t” like I normally would. I spent the entirety of my viewing thinking “what the fuck am I watching, and does it work?” Tapawingo, as mindless as it is, as easily as I was able to escape from the real world, caused me to spiral into a frenzy of queries, which is almost as comical as the film itself. 

One final thought before I let you go. Tapawingo is not meant to rely on its narrative, it’s not meant to be groundbreaking in any way in regard to the storyline--yet, there were moments in which I was captivated by it. DeMarea and Narang casually weave emotion into the narrative and allow viewers just a few instances in which that actually plays a role in how the film will be received. In these moments I was able to briefly step away from the ridiculousness that is Tapawingo and appreciate a sentiment that resonated with me on some level beneath the surface. 

Tapawingo is an absolute mess, and intentionally so. It’s not meant to captivate audiences or make them think existentially about the world. It’s a shut-your-brain-off experience that does ultimately work. Again, if you’re a fan of Napoleon Dynamite, then Tapawingo will strike a chord with you. There are some things to enjoy, some things to hate, and when all is said and done, this creative team does exactly what it set out to do. 

Directed by Dylan K. Narang. 

Written by Dylan K. Narang & Brad DeMarea. 

Starring Jon Heder, Jay Pichardo, Sawyer Williams, Chad Dukes, Ariel Flores, etc. 

6/10 = WATCH IT FOR FREE