Search - Smoke Signals

This dramatic feature was written, directed, and co-produced by Native Americans. Native American writer Sherman Alexie scripted this adaptation of his 1993 short story collection -The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. Director Chris Eyre's previous short Someone Kept Saying Powwow is incorporated into the 88-minute feature. Developed at the Sundance Lab in 1995, the film was a winner of both the Audience Award and the Filmmakers' Trophy at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. In 1976, an infant survives a fire that kills his parents. In a flash forward to the present day, the infant has grown up to become the skinny, nerdy adult Thomas (Evan Adams). At Idaho's desolate Coeur d'Alene Indian reservation, the overeager youth is mostly ignored by others, including stoic athletic Victor Joseph (Adam Beach), even though it was Victor's father, alcoholic Arnold Joseph (Gary Farmer), who saved the infant Thomas' life in the fire. A drunken Arnold later abandoned his family, and Victor hasn't seen his father in a decade. When Victor learns of Arnold's death in Phoenix, Thomas offers to pay for the trip to Phoenix if he can accompany Victor. They make an odd couple since Victor is embarrassed by Thomas' geekiness. In Phoenix, they find that Arnold lived in a small trailer in the desert, and they meet Arnold's friend Suzy Song (Irene Bedard), who provides disturbing truths about Arnold that impact on Victor. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Adam Beach - Victor Joseph
Evan Adams - Thomas Builds-the-Fire
Irene Bedard - Suzy Song
Gary Farmer - Arnold Joseph
Tantoo Cardinal - Arlene Joseph

1998	Audience Award (winner)	Sundance Film Festival	Chris Eyre
1998	Filmmaker's Trophy: Dramatic (winner)	Sundance Film Festival	Chris Eyre
1998	Best First Screenplay (nominee)	Independent Spirit Awards	Sherman Alexie
1998	Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominee)	Independent Spirit Awards	Gary Farmer
1998	Best Debut Performance (winner)	Independent Spirit Awards	Evan Adams

A lovely movie that scored with audiences and critics alike, Smoke Signals receives a fair DVD release from Miramax. The disc scores on its technical merits, but Miramax oddly chose not to include any extras to an honest crowd-pleaser that is also of historical importance. The first feature film made by a Native American cast and crew, the story behind Smoke Signals is fascinating and should be of interest to both the general public and educational groups. Yet, while the movie deals specifically with modern Native American life, the themes and emotional context of the movie end up striking a chord with all audiences. It can be expensive to produce a DVD documentary but Miramax should've at least had director/producer Chris Eyre record an audio commentary for this disc. The movie itself is good enough to more than justify this disc but don't be surprised when a special edition DVD of Smoke Signals is released. ~ Nick Dedina, All Movie Guide

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