Smoke Signals (1998)

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Really, really good film! They really cover everything in this - life on the reservation, father/son relationships, and a great deal of culture of the Native American way of life. I really liked the relationship between Victor and Thomas and the natural feel that existed between the characters. Thomas was my favorite - his voice, his smile, and the stories he wove. I really enjoyed the Native radio station announcements, especially the traffic reports, and it was a kick to see two actresses from "Northern Exposure" in here! Good music too! I'd definitely watch this again!

Smoke Signals is a prime example of how a great movie can be made on a low budget. One can describe Smoke Signals as the story of two young Native American men, Victor and Thomas, setting out on a road trip from Idaho to Arizona to bring the ashes of Victor's father home. However, it is much more than that. Smoke Signals is a film with an enthralling and complicated story. It has a good sense of humor and a flair for the dramatic. The personalities of the two main characters, Victor and Thomas, are mirrored in the ever-changing tone of Smoke Signals. Victor (Adam Beach) is often sullen, bitter, and quiet; while Thomas (Evan Adams) is usually happy-go-lucky, kindhearted, and loquacious. This movie touches on almost the whole range of human emotion. Every time I see this film I am engrossed by it. In fact, I find something new to love about it with every viewing. Smoke Signals always leaves me happy, hungry for fry bread, and singing about John Waynes teeth.

For years, thousands of the movies that produced by Western filmmakers presented Native Americans in a stereotypical way. They showed them a as warriors who are in a constant conflict with white people. These movies depicted Native Americans as savages, murderous defectors, and robbers. In general, these stereotypical movies showed the Native Americans in bad images, and the whites are always heroes. Yet, in 1998, a movie called "Smoke Signals" changed the style of Native Americans movies. It showed Native Americans in a more realistic way. The secret behind this movie is its cast. In fact, "Smoke Signals" written, directed, acted, and co-produced by Native Americans. The writer of this movie is Sherman Alexie who grew up on an Indian reservation in Washington. Unlike the writer a white family in Oregon adopted the director of this movie who is Chris Eyre. The actors of "Smoke Signals" include Adam Beach, Evan Adams, Gary Farmer, Tantoo Cardinal, and others. Comedy and Drama are the main genres of this movie.The story of "Smoke Signals" is about two young Indians men grew up together on an Indian reservation in Idaho which is Coeur d'Alene. Although they grew up together, they have totally different personalities. Victor (Adam Beach) who is a son of an alcohol addicted father (Gary Farmer). His father vanished from the reservation to live in a trailer near Phoenix while he was a little boy. Actually, Victor has a tough personality. However, Thomas (Evan Adams) is the other Indian young man who lost his parents in a fire that caught their home on the 4th of July 1976 while he was a baby. In Fact, Victor's father saved Thomas from the fire. Thomas has a very kind personality, and he always annoys Victor by telling stories about the live on reservation and about Victor's father. After about ten years from the day that victor's father vanished, Victor heard that his father died in his trailer in Arizona. He wanted to travel to Phoenix to bring his father's ashes back, but he did not have enough money for this trip. His friend Thomas decided to help him with the money, but in return he wanted to join the trip to Phoenix. After Victor accepted Thomas' offer, they started their trip to Phoenix that was full of surprising events.There is no doubt that Chris Eyre was very successful in directing this movie. He was able to present the story by adding the sense of humor. The movie contains many funny scenes that convey messages. For instance, the scene that showed the two ladies who were in the car, that moves backward, asking Victor and Thomas if they got their passports to enter the states. Actually, this scene makes the viewer laugh. At the same time, it conveys how Native Americans feel about their reservations as an isolated part form the country. In addition, Evan Adams was amazing in his performance. The character of Thomas adds an important value to the movie, and helped in placing the sense of humor. Thomas' appearance and cloths were very funny especially his over-sized glasses. Beside his appearance, his accent played important role in attracting viewers' attention. Especially, the way he used to call Victor, "Hey Victor." However, this movie has a lot of flashbacks. In fact, all of them were well used. The character of Thomas as storytellers made the use of flashbacks vital in this movie. One of the interesting flashbacks is when Thomas was telling a story about how Victor's mother was able to feed one hundred Indians by fifty fry bread. Beside Thomas' stories, the flashbacks were very useful in showing the life of Victor's father in Phoenix, and how he felt about his son Victor.In general, "Smoke Signals" is a unique movie that produced by Native Americans. It shows the modern life of Native Americans on reservation, their values and beliefs. It also stresses on some issues that related to the history of Native Americans. Actually, "Smoke Signals" is a very enjoyable movie that must to see at least one. It is well written, acted, directed, and edited. On scale of five stars this movie deserves four stars.

Moving, inspiring, and authentic are all words used to describe Sheman Alexie's 1998 critically acclaimed Smoke Signals, starring Adam Beach, Evan Adams and Gary Farmer. It was one of the first films to cast actual Native Americans to play the Native American roles. The story will make you smile, laugh and possibly cry, but overall it is a heartwarming story of two young men trying to find their way as Native American's in modern America. The setting is the Coeur d'Alene Reservation and it's the 4th of July. Arnold Joseph saves two infant boys from a fire that breaks out. Unfortunately, the parents of Thomas Builds-the- Fire, whom he saved, do not survive. Arnold is never the same after that tragic day. Victor Joseph becomes strong and stoic when his father leaves him and his mother when he is a child. When he gets the news that his father has past away he continues to be angry with him. It's not until he and Thomas go on the journey to recover the remains does Victor realize his father leaving him wasn't because of him, but because of the drunken disaster he had become and the mess he had created. Throughout the film many historical and traditional Native American facts are brought to life. On the reservation, people do not use much money, but often barter or trade for goods with stories and favors. Also, cars do not always get fixed and because laws on the Reservation differ from state laws, one could even drive their vehicle backwards around town if the transmission went out. As for the stories, Thomas does an over the top rendition of someone using the oral tradition of story telling by telling them whenever he gets the chance and going on and on and on. At the end of the film when he and Victor have returned from their journey, Grandma Builds-the-Fire asks Thomas to tell her how it's going to end. He then goes into my favorite and the most touching part of the movie. The quote is as follows. "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?"