Smoke Signals

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.

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.'

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!

The main trouble with Smoke Signals is that after you see it you will be disappointed with not only the rest of the movies or television you are likely to see but also with most of the films you have seen before it.Since too many people haven't seen it you will have to listen to people talk about "what dreams may come",or some such. You can't tell people that a guy sitting on a van giving a traffic report when there is no traffic,is more humorous than most sit-coms.But that is the trouble when a true 10 picture comes out, it tends to drop many of the others a point.If you haven't seen it rent it or better buy it. but be warned that you may be watching another movie and you will think "who needs this ----" i could be watching "Smoke signals"

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.