Smoke Signals (1998)
Review by Scott Hunt Movie Hunt: http://netdirect.net/~hunt/index.html
Rating: Bulleye (4 out of 4 stars)
Cast: Adam Beach, Gary Farmer, Irene Bedard, Evan Adams, Tantoo Cardinal, Cody Lightning and Tom Skerritt Director: Chris Eyre Writer: Sherman Alexie
A lyrical, at times magical, look at the familial bond, "Smoke Signals" is the first film written, directed,co-produced, and acted by American Indians. Director Chris Eyre and screenwriter Sherman Alexie have adapted Alexie's critically acclaimed collection of short stories, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, into a funny, bittersweet road picture that avoids melodrama and the often romanticized images presented of American Indians in modern cinema.
Thomas Builds-the-Fire (Evan Adams) and Victor Joseph (Adam Beach) are Coeur D'Alene Indians who share a common bond. As an infant, Thomas was thrown from the upper story window of his house as it burned, his parents trapped inside. Moments before hitting the ground, he was saved by Victor's alcoholic,physically abusive father, Arnold (Gary Farmer). As the boys grew, Thomas came to view Victor as a brother and Arnold as a surrogate father. Twenty years later, word comes to the reservation that Arnold, who had left Victor and his mother Arlene (Tantoo Cardinal in a subtle, knowing performance) years earlier, has died and Victor must go retrieve his ashes. Short of funds, Victor is forced to accept money from Thomas, despite his annoyance and apparent dislike of him, on the condition that Thomas can go along.
Evan Adams is a delight as Thomas, Victor's cousin. Thomas has a fondness for sports coats with matching vests, black framed glasses and pigtails, along with an ever present goofy grin, something which irritates the brooding Victor. At one point Victor tells Thomas, "Indians ain't supposed to smile. Get stoic. If you don't look mean, white people won't respect you." Victor holds a special resentment for Thomas, who has leaned what it's like to be an Indian from watching television. As Victor puts it, "The only thing worse than Indians on TV is an Indian watching Indians on TV."
Victor is a walking knot of anguish, conflicted about his feelings and memories of his father, a man he can neither hate nor love. Throughout the film, more is revealed about Arnold in expertly done, non-intrusive flashbacks. This is one of the movie's strengths as Thomas narrates many of the flashbacks in an annoying, yet mesmerizing, sing-song voice.
The movie settles into the familiar trappings of a road picture as the two young men gain fresh insight into themselves and Arnold. What makes the film special is the self-deprecating dialogue, often centering on stereotypes of American Indians. Ayres and Alexie don't preach at the audience, but rather give them a comedic nudge as they tear down many preconcieved notions about Indians.
As both Thomas and Victor struggle to interpret the smoke signals of Arnold's death, they ultimately begin to learn the power of fathers, sons, and forgiveness.
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