Smoke Signals (DVD, 1999)

I love little films. And "Smoke Signals" is a tender little film that was easy for me to love.

Despite his bitter resentment, 20-year-old Victor Joseph (Adam Beach) feels obligated to take his first trip away from northern Idaho's Coeur d'Alene Restervation to retrieve the ashes of his long absent father, Arnold, who died in Arizona.

Though Victor and his mother Arlene (Tantoo Cardinal) have no money, his nerdy childhood friend and budding tribal storyteller Thomas Builds-the-Fire (Evan Adams) offers his savings to Victor for the bus trip to Arizona if Thomas can tag along. After all, Victor's father (Gary Farmer) had rescued baby Thomas from the home where Thomas' parents perished and Thomas felt Victor needed a companion for this emotionally difficult journey.

In the process, Victor learns much about himself and also about the complexities of his father and what drove Arnold to abandon his family long ago.

This little film was developed under the auspices of Robert Redford's Sundance Institute and was written, directed and co-produced by Native Americans.

I enjoyed seeing the traditions of the culture, the patterns and rhythm of speech, and the frequent drumming and vocalizations of Native America. The film is also imbuded with rich humor.

A great film with an equally great cast, Smoke Signals explores the issues of alcoholism, abandonment, and the general feeling of hopelessness experienced by many Native American peoples. It is also a "boy to man" journey in a sense, in which Victor Joseph (Adam Beach) must come to terms with years of abandonment issues and the death of his father. The entire cast works well together, especially the pairing of Beach and Evan Adams (as Thomas Builds-the-Fire). A must-see.

I liked most everything about this film, from the main characters and supporting actors to the story line. Too bad Adam Beach and others in the cast are Canadians, nothing against Canadians but don't we have native talent in the USA? We still love Victor and Thomas. The switching of boyhood scenes to young adults' and how editors cut and paste them was majestic. The one thing we just didn't like was the stupid, ugly wig that was placed on Victor's head after he left Arizona to return home. Was the budget so cheap that the director could not find a better fitted with with short, black hair? But over all, my wife, a native American from Washington State, and I just laugh and cry through out the move, specially the end. You can just feel the pain Victor is going thru.

This movie is what is usually called a sleeper, because it is a great movie but has not had the big box office previews and advertisements. It is a glimpse into the lives of members of a Couer D'Alene reservation and the journey that 2 young men take into a foreign land (The USA). It's about sons and fathers, parents, friendship, love, perception and so much more than I can describe here. I can say that I laughed, I cried, I felt for all the characters and most of all I truely loved the movie. The music is awesome, the wisdom is pervasive. I watch this one as much as I can because it is a charming, both sad and funny, sort of what life is like on this great earth.

I absolutely love this movie.
I bought it because I heard some native actors talk bout it, and it seemed like a must-see because they kept recalling jokes from it.

It is pretty honest regarding the pic of rez life today, and it shows that the indians have a really good and warm sense of humor, they got no problem making jokes about themselves.... the movie is loaded with it; if you know something about indian life today or if you studied some of their history, this is going to be wonderfull entertainement.
I enjoyed watching it and keep re-watching it every now and then. Cuz it never gets boring and theres always some small details I didn`t notice before, so it keeps surprising me with sometimes unexpected deapth and wisdom or more hidden jokes.

I like the jumps between present and past of the two main characters. The movie tells their story, but also creates a humorous survey over the life in the reservation. Rez life isn´t "easy" if we take a western pov. But it´s the manner with which you handle it that makes you happy or dissatisfied....

:) recommendable :)