Smoke Signals (1998) User Reviews

A refreshing road film

[PureCinema · 8/10 · 26 December 1998]

The eyes of cinema has always seen Indians only as the bad guys. The ones that shoot their arrows, wear feathers on their heads, and yell as they chase the heroes down. Finally, after 100 years of movies, we get a film that honestly portrays the Native American culture.  And man, it sure is refreshing.

The story opens on the Fourth of July, 1976 in a small Idaho Indian reservation. A small infant named Thomas Builds-the-Fire is thrown out of the window of a burning house and is caught by Arnold Joseph (Gary Farmer), a neighbor with a drinking problem, who is later kicked out of the house by his wife, leaving behind his son, Victor (Adam Beach). Arnold eventually settles down in Phoenix and his family never hears from him again.

20 years later, a phone call comes. It's from a woman in Phoenix, she says that Arnold is dead. Victor, who had developed a resentment towards his father over the years, decides that he should travel to Phoenix to pick up his ashes. Unfortunately, he has no money to get there... but Thomas does and offers to pay if he can come along with Victor. This is a tough decision for Victor since he never really liked Thomas, but he finally agrees and the two set off on their journey.

It's during their journey that we learn about the characters, Victor and Thomas' conversations reveal their attitudes towards Americans their views of Native Americans. In one scene, Victor accuses Thomas of learning everything about being an Indian from watching Dances With Wolves. In another funny sequence, the two begin talking about cowboys and end up singing a tune about John Wayne's teeth! Victor's resentment for his father is also revealed to us through flashbacks depicting the early years and the memories (some good, some bad) that the two shared.

They do eventually arrive in Phoenix and find the woman that called with the news of Arnold's death. Victor talks with her during the night and finds out how much his dad cared for him and how he never wanted to leave the reservation in the first place. The events that follow drastically alter Victor's perceptions of his father forever.

Smoke Signals is a great film and one that can teach you a lot about a culture so often misrepresented on the screen. There is a feeling of ease and casualness in the conversations between Victor and Thomas... slowly they reveal more and more of themselves to us, in a way that is so nonchalant that we understand their feelings it without even noticing it. Smoke Signals is well worth your time and offers a refreshing alternative to the big budget, special effects driven crap this summer.

Lovely Exploration of Native American Families Via A Road Movie

[noralee · 8/10 · 12 December 2005]

"Smoke Signals" was touted at Sundance as the first completely Native American written, produced, directed etc. film or some such.

I thought it was going to be a plot less road movie, but it turned out instead to be about family and had a very specific story and plot line that avoided clichés. In that way it reminded me of the New Zealand "Once Were Warriors" - with about 1% of that violence about aborigine families struggling to have dignity within the confines of a white-restricted world. Like that movie you virtually don't see whites at all.

I very much liked how the flash backs were handled (in the context of "the past is never dead, it's never even past" type evocation). The title is used for several layers of meanings about smoke and fire.

Dar Williams's road song was used in an ironic road way, but I think it was added on afterwards. The passenger is bopping along to the song on the radio saying over and over that it's her favorite song, which would be odd for an obscure song. But the joke is also that the car can only go in reverse.

John Trudell (he's the DJ at KREZ) and Elaine Miles ("Marilyn" from "Northern Exposure") have teeny parts. The music is appealing --though none by Trudell and very little traditional. The closing credits have a Walala (the trio with Rita Coolidge and sister) tune that I thought it would be cool if it got nominated for an Oscar, if it's not previously recorded, as I thought it would be something different at the Academy Awards. The other music mostly also comes ostensibly from KREZ and is by Native Americans but in the singer-songwriter mode (no Bill Miller used). Other than Ulali (I thought was Walela, but I was corrected) and Dar when I tried to read the credits as they quickly went by I didn't recognize any of the names.

I almost immediately caught "Powwow Highway" on cable and was surprised to see how much it must have influenced "Smoke Signals" as a Native American road movie.

(originally written 7/2/1998)

The Seattle Premier

[pablo-45 · 8/10 · 3 June 1999]

I flew up to Seattle on the '98 July 4th weekend to see the matinee premier on the Friday. Sherman Alexie is a, of course, a well known poetry and prose writer in the Northwest, but this was his first step into cinema with a screenplay based on his short story, 'The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven.'

The premiere was at an old, Egyptian-themed cinema in Seattle and the house was half full for the 4:30 matinee. The audience was predominately Native American.

On exit, Sherman stood on the sidewalk in the late afternoon Seattle light and waited nervously like a child, to see the reaction to the film (which had ended with unanimous applauds from the half house audience). A film crew was there for exit polling.

A diminutive Native American female elder slowly approached Sherman. She moved forward and extended her arms around him into a hug and spoke softly, "Thank you."

Sherman was mush.

Don't miss this film. He's not 'the Spike Lee of Native American film making' as the Time Magazine of that week put it. He's an independent, regional film maker, whose background is the 'Rez.'

Deep, affirming film

[Kurzbein · 21 February 1999]

Despite Leonard Maltin's comment that Smoke Signals is "basically unexciting film-making," I found this movie deeply spiritual without being heavy-handed. The aspect of the film that captured my interest and has stayed with me is the story-telling of Thomas. The stories mingle simple, real-life recollections with fantasy, and the voice of Thomas subtly gives the movie a transcendent quality. Thomas is a modern-day medicine man, grounded in reality yet open to possibilities. He marvels at the beauty of the creation that surrounds him and dreams of what new wonders the future might bring. He is hope.

I intend to view this film many more times. It deals with tragedy without being tragic. It recognizes the sometimes brutal facts of reality without allowing brutality to define. It reveals sadness but not as an end in and of itself. It asks questions but leaves the answers to the viewer. And it affirms that there are answers and hope.

This motion picture was a Pow Wow! Truly entertaining with only a few flaws!

[ironhorse_iv · 7/10 · 27 November 2020]

From all the 1990s movies focused on the indigenous peoples of North America; this one directed by Chris Eyre is unique as it was independently made with an all-Native American production. Based on screenwriter Sherman Alexie's 1993 short story "This is What it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona" from his book 'The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven'. The film follows two men from an Indian Reservation, Victor Joseph (Adam Beach) and Thomas Builds-the-Fire (Evan Adams) on their cross-country journey to discovered the truth about their recently demise elder. Without spoiling the movie too much, there was indeed a number of additional scenes and plot points that was put to the film that don't appear in the original story. Many of which were adapted from other stories in the collection by the author. While this isn't really much of a problem as most of those plot threads does work best for the movie including the character of Suzy Song (Irene Bedard) who doesn't appear anywhere in the book. It does put a wedge between those 25% ers wanting the film to capture the same magic of the original by showing the souls living in the reservation a lot more; from those majority urban areas audience members seeking to see a road trip movie where the characters face cultural injustices and contemporary issues within the United States. Nevertheless, most are in agreement that the film drop the ball in not fueling the negative stereotypical of alcoholism that has been long been applied to all American Indians even if it's somewhat true that Native Americans are at greater risk for alcohol related domestic violence and much more susceptible to its related diseases and deaths compared with other U.S. ethnic groups. Regardless of ethnicity, alcoholism is transcendent with most people. Along with that, seeing individuals struggle with learning how to cope with past mistakes is also universal. Honestly, you really don't need a translator integrate with Native American lore to understand that cutting one's hair is a sign of mourning. Furthermore, the fire and ash themes do represent destruction and rebirth within most human societies. Nonetheless some of the film's other emotional visuals didn't quite conversed as clearly as the filmmakers has planned. Some examples are the scenes where Victor's father Arnold (Gary Farmer) rescues a baby from a burning house. The way the actor dives to save an obvious wrapped doll from falling is hilarious to watch. The same can be said with the dramatic conclusion of Victor squatting and crying in pain on a bridge. It felt like somebody dealing with a bad case of diarrhea. The performances are very mixed bag. I never really got the full feeling that any of the characters truly changed for the better over time. Thomas still seemed like a naive happy go lucky medicine man tool and Victor the same bitter jerk with a heart of gold by the end. Instead of mostly great tear jerking moments, some of those events with them came across as unintentional laugh out loud gags. Although the movie does provide deliberate humor on its own. The jokes are so narrow niches that not everybody would get the highbrow punchline. For example, there is a scene where Arnold ask his son who is his favorite Indian; in which the young man reply with the answer of 'Nobody'. Only those very few audience members with knowledge of Gary Farmer's previous works would have got that joke. How's about the bizarre moment where Thomas complain about Indians watching old westerns? Theatrical audiences wouldn't have the time to notice that the brief footages on the character's television screen are scenes from a 1955 film that happen to share the same title as this movie. Another odd moment is where the two ladies drive their car backwards. Not everybody is going to know that it's a nod to Heyokha folklore. That's somewhat of a problem of the humor of this movie. The meta jokes goes over the head for general audiences. People just didn't get it. Even the choice of music from B.C Smith for the film had more to it. The song "All My Relations" performed by Ulali at the end of the movie has the same beat as the Irish quickstep dance "Garryowen." That's song is perhaps best known as the last tune played before General George Armstrong Custer and his entire regiment were killed at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. As for the runtime. The movie has pretty good pacing; despite the slow burn flashbacks in the beginning and out of nowhere third act somewhat forced crash subplot. It's still reasonable. As for the cinematography from Brian Capener. It was mostly alright, even if there isn't much to look at. Still I was really hoping rather than shots of mostly the cramp bus for a more epic trippy wide screen viewing of the rural landscapes of Arizona and Idaho. Something that you don't need to smoke a peace pipe to a huge high from. Still in the end, the movie was good enough to be selected for preservation in the National Film Registry for being culturally, historically or aesthetically significant in 2018. I can somewhat agree. I love viewing the world through the modern-day Native American's perspective. It was very interesting. Overall: Sometimes it's a good day to die and sometimes it's a good day to have breakfast. In the end, grab some frybread and go see this movie. It's certainly worth a watch. Highly recommended.

Nothing short of miraculous.

[budmassey · 10/10 · 10 May 2005]

Smoke Signals is a somewhat misunderstood film. The setting on an Indian reservation leads viewers to believe that Smoke Signals is about Indian issues or Indian philosophy. To be sure, the presence of Indian values and culture make this movie decidedly more enjoyable, but the movie is more transcendent, more universal than a purely Indian film. And, while this was heralded as the first movie to be written, directed and co-produced by Native Americans, there is something here for everyone, regardless of ethnicity.

More than anything else, this movie appealed to me as a writer. Taken from Sherman Alexie's brilliant collection "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven". it is beautifully written and expertly crafted from beginning to end. The first scene, narrated lyrically by Evan Adams as Thomas Builds-the-fire, sets the tone for a story handed down, as with Native American culture, in true oral tradition.

The French title, Le secret des cendres (The secret of the ashes) more accurately describes the book and the movie, both of which must be experienced to fully appreciate Alexie's genius. With multiple allusions to fire and ash, each having different meanings, as well as a well integrated use of Native American lore, Smoke Signals requires more than a little thought for the average American viewer.

The story revolves around two young Coeur d' Alene Indian men dealing with loss and the end of childhood innocence. The two men cope with loss in very different ways; Thomas though mysticism and legend, Victor through stoicism and denial. When Victor Joseph, brilliantly played by Adam Beach, learns that his estranged father has died, he and Thomas embark on a journey to claim the ashes, another allusion of the french title, and on the way get in touch with their identities as adults apart from their parents.

Evan Adams is stupendous as Thomas Builds-the-fire. His storytelling scenes are pure magic. By imbuing simple memories with mystical reverence, he elevates them, and thus both himself and his listeners, to a new spiritual level. His exaltation of the ordinary is the core of this delightful work of genius. It culminates with a reading, slightly modified, of Dick Lourie's poem "Forgiving Our Fathers". Lourie, who is a self-described unreconstructed beatnik poet, brings a fragile and elegant beauty to the film's emotional climax. The final scenes, driven by Adams' narration and haunting Native American chant and music, are nothing short of miraculous.

Adam Beach, strapping and stalwart as Victor Joseph, managed to parlay his appearance in Smoke Signals into a respectable film career. Evan Adams, diminutive and shy as Thomas Builds-the-fire, was not so lucky despite his masterful performance. Perhaps Admas' aspirations ran along different lines, as these days, even after starring in what is basically a sequel (The Business of Fancydancing, also by Alexie) Adams can now be called Dr. Adams, as he has become a respected and accomplished physician in British Columbia.

The supporting cast was equally magnificent, and each lends credibility and energy to the movie. An interesting sidenote is that Irene Bedard, who appears as Suzy Song, was the physical model for Pocahontas in the Disney animated feature.

I have seen this movie many times, and will undoubtedly watch it many more. Each time I am left in silent awe as I reflect on my own life, family, and philosophies.

interesting native indie

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 5 January 2021]

On a native reservation, Arnold rescues baby Thomas from a fiery infernal. Thomas grows up admiring Arnold and telling tales about him. On the other hand, Arnold's actual son Victor Joseph (Adam Beach) grew up conflicted about his drunken, abusive father. Arnold always claims to be able to disappear and one day, he does just that. He abandons his family. Years later, the family gets a phone call that Arnold has died and someone needs to retrieve his body. Thomas is eager to join Victor on his journey.

As a mostly native production, this is one of the better ones. The film looks good. It is a good indie. It also has capable native actor Adam Beach before his big breaks. These are two interesting characters. It's an interesting relationship although I wish they get along better. It's an interesting little movie.

One of the most unique movies I've seen

[StephanieGould · 10/10 · 13 May 2002]

"Smoke Signals" is one of the most unique movies I have ever seen. From the combinations of stories, characters, and filmmaking. The acting in this movie was witty, funny, serious and heartbreaking all at the same time. Even though this is a movie about Native American culture, it is a movie that talks to everyone no matter what there ethnic background may be. I am of Italian heritage but this movie still got to me. It tackles issues of family, culture, and tradition as well as friendship. The acting is this movie is superb and the filmmaker's shots and different ways of filming scenes and how each one flowed into another was amazing. In school we had to read some stories by Sherman Alexie and then we watched the movie. If it weren't for my English teacher I may have missed watching one of the most brilliant independent films ever made.

WHAT A WIG!

[jjf006 · 7/10 · 24 August 2020]

I just finished this melodramatic piece of filmmaking. It's good for a monday morning sit with a coffee but MY GOD that 3rd act wig stole the show! I couldn't take my eyes of it. Certainly was not expecting to be captivated by such unconvincing hair.

Overlooked masterpiece

[andiam123 · 9/10 · 13 February 2003]

This film did not get the attention it deserved. When I first heard about a film made by Native Americans, I was afraid it would be an exercise in political correctness. But the ethnicity of the characters took a back seat to the universal themes of friendship and learning to come to terms with one's past. This is one of the greatest "buddy movies" ever made. A couple of years after I saw it I drove through the American Southwest for the first time, and images of the film kept coming into my head. This is a film which really stays with you.

Excellent film making

[blatz · 7/10 · 23 August 1998]

"Smoke Signals" is about a young man's quest and the help he gets from people along the way. It's about how the actions of an individual can create ripples that push others away. It's about the magic in relationships and love. It's about finding wisdom in unlikely places, and people. It's funny and moving and one of the best films you'll ever see.

Nice movie!

[sraldridge6 · 10/10 · 24 May 2005]

My young grandniece and nephew were visiting with me during the Christmas holidays several years ago and we rented this movie from the local library. Without a doubt, it was excellent. I wanted them to see a movie with various role models, and as I had never seen this movie, I thought it would be a treat for all of us. I especially liked Thomas and his stories. Stories are an important part of growing up in all cultures. We can learn about customs of various groups through them, as well as learn a lot about ourselves, as human beings. I felt that the problems that the young man was encountering with his father are relevant to all people, young and old, and if they are not resolved, unfortunately, those problems hinder personal growth. This film was not only entertaining, but thought-provoking as well. Well done!

One more road movie; nothing new under the sun..

[smck · 7/10 · 9 April 1999]

Overly earnest, overly obvious, but beautifully performed tale that does offer the viewer a chance to peek into a world that is not often seen on the big screen. Early scenes on the reservation have a nice rhythm, but the story deteriorates once our protagonists hit the road; we've seen this all before. Terrific performances by Gary Farmer, Tantoo Cardinal and especially Evan Adams as "Thomas-builds-the-fire."

Award winning?!?!

[TookyClothespin · 1/10 · 22 June 2006]

The Review of Smoke Signals: I did not find the film (1) poignant in any way or (2) entertaining for entertainments sake. I found Smoke Signals to be rather uninspiring, there was a lot of hype, and not a lot of substance. The storyline is disjointed and the acting is well below average and unfortunately, the sad performances from the actors did nothing to propel the extremely weak plot. I found Sherman Alexie's story to be lackluster, trying to prove a point which is quite unclear. I wasn't sure if this was a comedy about two opposites thrown together (because there were very few humorous moments, this film certainly was not the side-splitter that reviews boast it to be) or if it was a drama about a man discovering who his father really was. Too many themes are attempted to be covered, leaving the viewer confused and uninterested. Unfortunately, because of the poor script and unskilled actors, this film was not moving or compelling at all, no emotion was evoked, except disdain for everyone involved in the making of this film. Additionally, the Native American accents sound incredibly bizarre to me and resemble a strange mix of Irish, Indian (from India) and American English dialects. In addition to the film's disjointed feel, many scenes felt rushed and contrived. The somewhat interesting dynamic and contrast between Victor and Thomas seemed to resolve itself just in time for the end of the film. Also, Thomas' fascination and appreciation for Victor's father, (as the father he never had) is hardly explored or discussed by either character. Conversely, the relationship between Suzy and Victor's father feels completely unbelievable and seems to work only as a means for Victor to better know his father, although I am never convinced that happens. Because of consistent plot holes, or rather underdevelopments, the audience must take great leaps of faith throughout the entire film, hardly any of which pay off.

A movie not to be missed

[kim-o · 12 August 1998]

Smoke Signals (the efforts of Sherman Alexie, Chris Eyre and the cast of fabulous actors) shows in rich, humorous detail what life is like for young Indians today. It is an insider's view of reservation basketball games and the rituals of frybread. Its characters don't bring themselves (and the story) down with self pity. Instead they look to the lighter side of history with references to Columbus and Gen. Custer. The story is simple. Two young men, Victor and Thomas, embark on a trip to Phoenix to retrieve the ashes of Victor's father. Victor is angry at his father for leaving his family and angry with himself for the grudge that he carries. Through the help of Thomas and his father's final friend Suzy, Victor is able to find resolution and peace. The acting, particularly Gary Farmer as Arnold Joseph (Victor's father) and Evan Adams (Thomas Builds-the-Fire) are outstanding. In fact, I had to see it a second time to catch all the plot because Evan Adams completely stole the show for me!

Good Idea, Bad Execution

[willroby009-1 · 6/10 · 19 April 2012]

The material here has real potential, but the execution leaves something to be desired. It is easy to point out some amateurish flaws in the production -- the obvious wigs, some spotty acting -- but the problems run deeper than these superficial imperfections.

At times the movie is compelling, and it points to some profound issues. But too often, it pulls its punches, opting for a feel-good approach reminiscent of made-for TV movies. It covers the brutality, pain, and loss in its subject matter with a gauze of sentimentality and empty humanism. The inevitable redemption that resolves the troubled, troubling story feels too easy, merely the result of the genre's formula. It doesn't feel true to life.

Notably, the director chooses to try to pull the viewer's heart strings at moments when the script seems instead to be calling attention to hard realities. Thomas's boring tales are treated as though they are genuinely entertaining, when in fact they seem to reflect the oppressive tedium of reservation life, the need to escape its futility, and to shroud the past in fantasy.

Similarly, the characters' fondness for flatbread is portrayed as touching, when it seems more a comment on their grinding poverty -- baked bread is so cheap that to forgo it for homemade bespeaks a perilous level of want. On the other hand, the characters' sense of dispossession and victimhood is overplayed. The script seems to point to a somewhat more problematic sense of Indian identity, matching the overwhelming sense of having been wronged with a concomitant guilty doubt -- something like, "Did my ancestors blow it like some of my other relatives? Why weren't they strong enough to fight the white man off? Why couldn't they provide us a better life than this?" This would seem to tie in with the central theme of the movie, the difficulty of grappling with the absurd, of grappling with the inexplicable, senseless past; the way in which history weighs like a nightmare on the minds of the living; the way history is a nightmare from which we're trying to wake up.

But the movie's impulsive softness pushes this hard element to the periphery. Of course it must be possible to forgive one's father for years of abuse and neglect, and it must be possible to make peace with a culture and people that once tried to eliminate yours, and that still treats you with indifference and casual cruelty. But surely it needs more than flashback accompanied by adult-contemporary guitar for this to happen.

The unfortunate thing about this is that there is an untold story here that screams to be told, that the world needs to know. It deserves a more mature telling than this.

Amazingly misunderstood

[dryad13 · 10/10 · 24 November 2002]

I have read some of Sherman Alexie's work, although admittedly not "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven." I don't want to ruin a movie that I enjoyed so thoroughly by loving the book more. In any case, I think that this film is largely misunderstood. Non-Indian people tend to look at this film as a "coming of age" story about finding Victor finding not only his father, but himself as well. Yes, that's there, but there is so much more. For example: the very real and very sad quality of life on the rez. The ones who are fortunate enough to have a car don't care if it drives in reverse only. The kids watch their parents drinking, and often grow up to drink with them. Alcoholism is a very real disease that affects everyone associated with an alcoholic...and it runs rampant throughout many reservations. Imagine knowing that once you had so much, and now are only allotted a certain patch of a certain number of acres; imagine knowing that more than half of your history was oral tradition and people made you stop speaking your native language. Imagine the elders watching the children grow up to try to be white and fail, and imagine them watching their history slip away with every word or nuance forgotten. Imagine the desperation of a people as a whole and individually to have so much and really have nothing at all. That, I believe, is the underlying theme in Smoke Signals. The title alone is a cryptic message from Alexie: smoke signals were used to communicate across open plains, plains now destroyed and whithered as though a fire raged across them, which it did in the form of the white man. Victor's father died in a fire, perhaps sending his spirit up in the form of a smoke signal to his gods. And Thomas' narration at the beginning is about children born of fire and ash. Watch this movie again and again, and see how so many suffer...

Solid indie entertainment with reservations

[=G= · 6/10 · 17 September 2002]

"Smoke Signals" is just another low budget indie comedy/drama with one huge difference. It is about contemporary Native Americans by contemporary Native Americans. Its thin story is worthy but only nominally interesting. However, the telling of that story and the pervasive sense of Native Americaness about it conjures a unique charm which speaks volumes about the American Indian culture to those with their ear to the ground and it does so with a grand sense of humor. A fresh and fearless film worth a look especially for those interested in Native American people, ain't it. (B-)

A touching, funny movie about forgiveness, fathers and fry bread. Should we die or have breakfast?

[Terrell-4 · 8/10 · 25 April 2008]

The more you try to describe a movie like Smoke Signals the likelier it is that you'll kill it. The story basically is about a son who eventually reaches some understanding concerning his father, who left the family years ago. The discovery and acceptance by the resentful Victor Joseph of his father's own unhappiness plays out in a road trip Victor and his friend, Thomas Builds-the-Fire, take from the Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation in Idaho where they live to Phoenix to pick up the father's ashes. This sort of story has been so often turgidly overplayed by film-makers searching for "truth" that it's a surprise to find just how touching and humorous Smoke Signals turns out to be. The story may be about a search of discovery, but it's played out against the friction of reservation life in a white world. The humor carries a lot of irony but the dialog and situations are so gentle and natural that the inherent messages don't slam us about. There's no victim card being played here, just some truths told with the kind of underplayed honesty that makes ethnic humor, delivered by those same ethnic people, work not just for them but for those in a white world who are overhearing.

Victor Joseph (Adam Beach) is a big, good looking young man who barely gets along, plays basketball and carries a chip on his shoulder. Thomas Builds-the-Fire (Evan Adams) is a scrawny, glasses-wearing young man who tells stories and talks about almost everything. Thomas has been raised by his grandmother. A fire killed his parents and it was Victor's father, Arnold Joseph (Gary Farmer), who caught Thomas, just a baby, when Thomas was tossed from a second floor window. Arnold Joseph was a big man, quick to laugh and quick to hit, maybe not a drunk but close to it. He denied being a hero. One day, when Victor was about 12, Arnold Joseph picked up and left. Victor never forgave him. When word of Arnold's death reaches Victor's mother. Victor decides he must get the ashes, but he doesn't have enough money. "Hey Victor!" Thomas says, "I'm sorry 'bout your dad." "How'd you hear about it?" Victor asks. "I heard it on the wind," Thomas says, "I heard it from the birds. I felt it in the sunlight. And your mom was just in here cryin'." Thomas has some money in a jar and offers it if he can come along. Off they go, hitchhiking, taking a bus, walking. Along the way, while Victor wrestles with his feelings about the father who left him, screenwriter Sherman Alexie and director Chris Eyre give us the kind of edgy smiles that are rare nowadays. "You gotta look mean or people won't respect you," says Victor to Thomas on the bus to Phoenix. "White people will run all over you if you don't look mean. You gotta look like a warrior! You gotta look like you just came back from killing a buffalo!" "But our tribe never hunted buffalo -- we were fishermen," says Thomas. "What!" says Victor, "you want to look like you just came back from catching a fish? This ain't 'Dances With Salmon' you know!"

Yes, they return to the reservations with the ashes. Victor winds up learning a lot about himself as well as about his father. He learns a good deal about what Thomas reaches for with all the stories Thomas tells. We learn a lot about the value of a quiet movie with a fine screenplay and skillful direction. We learn about fry bread. And as Thomas says, when the going gets tough, "Sometimes it's a good day to die, and sometimes it's a good day to have breakfast."

All the actors do commendable jobs, but Evan Adams is a standout. When he closes his eyes and starts to spin one of Thomas' stories, you don't really want him to stop. Adams has the challenging job of bringing us to the movie's close, emotionally and thoughtfully. "Do we forgive our fathers in our age or in theirs, or in their deaths, saying it to them, or not saying it? If we forgive our fathers...what is left?"

Smoke Signals is based on Sherman Alexie's book of stories, The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight In Heaven.

This is movie is about 2 young men who go on a road trip to retrieve Victor Joseph's father's ashes

[christinaemma · 7/10 · 3 December 1999]

I really enjoyed this story about 2 young men living on a reserve.

The story line of this film is simple and straight to the point , it is also very funny.

I love Evan Adams portrayl of Thomas builds the fire is hilarious and I found Adam Beaches portrays Victor as a very strong , but bullheaded young man.

Irene bedard stars as susie song a neighbour of Victor's father, Gary farmer as Victor's father and Tantoo Cardinal as Victor's mother.

There are moments in this film where the viewer can't stop laughing and the friendship between Victor and Thomas makes the viewer smile.

The references to the fry bread making, the weather man who doesn't say much and the reference to the US being as foreign as it gets off the reserve ring true for these two young men who are on a journey that gives them an eye opener to life outside the reserve.

If you haven't sen this film , it is definately a must see. It deserves 10 stars

A Caring and Poignant Look into Life on a Reservation.

[ilpositionokb · 9/10 · 17 April 2004]

"Smoke Signals", the first film written, directed and starring American Indians, delineates the contemporary Native American experience with a soulful wit and an incisive attitude. It's setting is the Coeur d' Alene Indian Reservation in Idaho where the K.R.E.Z. disc jockey(Broadcasting live from his trailer) proclaims the morning 'a great day to be indigenous'. The film's focal character, Victor(Adam Beach) is a closed-off youth with indiscernible ambition. He languishes around the expansive grounds dwelling over the absence of his father and a perceived lack of opportunity. "Smoke Signals" details the strange dynamics of Victor's friendship with childhood pal Thomas Builds-a-Fire(Evan Adams) who frequently regales the locals with his practiced storytelling skills. Victor is stoic and athletic, with an affected warrior look. Thomas is unnervingly talkative with a smiling naivete and a decidedly bookish appearance.(Thomas also serves as the film's narrator) Novelist Sherman Alexie wrote the script. It is based on stories from his book "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven". He uses a casually irreverent humor to help tell his tale of personal and national identity. In a brief scene with his mother, Victor kids- 'What do you want a contract? You know how Indians feel about signing paper'. And later Thomas recounts how Victor's dad almost spent time for protesting the vietnam war only to have the charge plea-bargained to 'being an Indian in the twentieth century.' The movie's interesting cultural details(Fry bread, the significance of long hair, etc.) and salient dialogue accentuate it's themes of truth, self-acceptance, and the capacity to forgive. The cinematic structure is equally impressive. Director Chris Eyre employs several unsuspecting flashbacks to reveal the film's central secret. Victor and Thomas's present journey for answers alternates seamlessly with the lyrical recollections of the past. (Possible spoiler) In the end, the determined Thomas helps his friend come to terms with his father, his ancestry, and his exclusive place in life. The understanding Victor gains enables him to liberate the persistent bitterness and disappointment from his world. "Smoke Signals" deserves a look for those who missed it's theatrical run. It presents viewers with a caring and poignant glimpse into life on a reservation and the unique perspective of today's Native Americans. Kurt

Good Insight, Good Movie.

[Virgos_Eternal_Reign · 7/10 · 27 January 2008]

The best thing I'd have to say about this flick is just the down right emotion of it. It digs deep into our relationships with family members and friends. It makes you think more of YOUR home life with your OWN secrets and built up anger towards your Mother or Father. It also questions the very boundaries of true Alcoholism. When do we draw the line & quit? When do we start loving those around us more than the bottle? But the movie has lotz of color! Some of the Landscape Shots in this film are really just remarkable. Lots of BEAUTIFUL scenes. Comic relief from the bitterness & tension comes from the character, Thomas. His long braided hair and big wide grin are a classic portrayal of an American Indian/Native American. Thomas is insightful & wise. Yet Goofy and just a bit on the gullible side. Making him an extremely lovable & unforgettable Character.

"SMOKE SIGNALS" A Movie is only made good by it's underlined Emotion. Smoke Signals offers a tremendous amount of pure, untapped and utterly raw emotion.

Culture, religion and being human

[swanney-2 · 9/10 · 21 October 1999]

I was fascinated by the fact that this film was written, directed and acted by Native Americans. As a mixed blood, this was a major draw.

What I found in this film was culture, religion and what it means to be human regardless of our racial heritage.

Watching this movie as a seminary student I was drawn to the concepts of sin, alienation and reconciliation as seen through Native American eyes. What predominately spoke to me was how Thomas seemed to incorporate Christianity into his storytelling. I'm happy that Eyre and Alexie were not afraid to portray a character in this film as Christian. With all the current information, it seems there are no Christian Native Americans.

Perhaps the format of this film is overdone, the buddy road-trip, but this film is a beginning toward understanding between two cultures that share a common land.

How Do We Forgive?

[flygirl_ca · 7/10 · 17 September 2012]

Spoiler ALERT

"How do we forgive our fathers? Maybe in a dream. Do we forgive our fathers for leaving us too often, or forever, when we were little? Maybe for scaring us with unexpected rage, or making us nervous because there never seemed to be any rage there at all? Do we forgive our fathers for marrying, or not marrying, our mothers? Or divorcing, or not divorcing, our mothers? And shall we forgive them for their excesses of warmth or coldness? Shall we forgive them for pushing, or leaning? For shutting doors or speaking through walls? For never speaking, or never being silent? Do we forgive our fathers in our age, or in theirs? Or in their deaths, saying it to them or not saying it. If we forgive our fathers, what is left"? Nuff said.

I expected to love this movie

[melissa.ricks · 5/10 · 28 June 2001]

I was disappointed in the film. I saw Sherman Alexie interviewed on a television news magazine program and was excited to see his film. However, I didn't find it funny and found the characters to be rather cliche'. I will give Sherman's books a try, however, because I expect that his stories are better digested as vignettes rather than pieced together into a full feature film.