Smoke Signals (film)

1998 - USA - 88 min. - Feature, Color
Director, Chris Eyre

Genre/Type Road Movie, Drama
Flags Adult Situations
MPAA Rating PG13

Keywords abandon, alcoholism, baby, fire, friendship, nerd
From book by Alexie, Sherman, The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight in Heaven

Produced by Shadow Catcher Entertainment, Miramax

 

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

Cast

  • Adam Beach is Victor Joseph
  • Evan Adams is Thomas Builds-the-Fire
  • Irene Bedard is Suzy Song
  • Gary Farmer is Arnold Joseph
  • Tantoo Cardinal is Arlene Joseph
  • Cody Lightning is Young Victor Joseph
  • Simon Baker is Young Thomas Builds-the-Fire
  • Michelle St. John is Velma
  • Robert Miano is Burt
  • Molly Cheek is Penny
  • Monique Mojica is Grandma Builds-the-Fire
  • Elaine Miles is Lucy
  • Michael Greyeyes is Junior Polatkin
  • Leonard George is Lester Fallsapart
  • John Trudell is Randy Peone
  • Darwin Haine is Boo
  • Tom Skerritt is Police Chief
  • Cynthia Geary is Cathy The Gymnast
  • Perrey Reeves is Holly

Credits and reviews provided by All-Media Guide, http://allmovie.com

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