If you’ve ever wondered what a road trip with your childhood frenemy would be like, minus the working car and plus a lot of unresolved trauma, then Smoke Signals might be your next must-watch.
Directed by Chris Eyre and written by Sherman Alexie, this 1998 indie gem is the first feature film made entirely by Indigenous filmmakers. That alone makes it groundbreaking, but is it actually worth your time? Short answer: yes, but bring tissues.
Victor Joseph (Adam Beach) and Thomas Builds-the-Fire (Evan Adams) grew up together on the Coeur d’Alene Reservation in Idaho. They’re not exactly best friends – more like that cousin you tolerate at family gatherings. When Victor’s estranged father dies in Phoenix, he has to retrieve his ashes but, surprise, he’s broke. Enter Thomas, a socially awkward storyteller with a love for poetic metaphors and round glasses that scream: “I read philosophy for fun.” He offers to fund the trip, on the condition that he gets to tag along.
What follows is a road trip filled with tension, humour and some deep, existential moments about fathers, forgiveness and what it really means to be Indigenous in a world that constantly misunderstands you. Think Little Miss Sunshine, but instead of a dysfunctional white family, you get rez humour, emotional flashbacks and a Greyhound bus ride that changes everything.
Most Hollywood movies about Indigenous people fall into one of two categories: tragic epics where everyone dies or mystical nonsense where they whisper to the wind. Smoke Signals breaks that mold by being – get this – realistic. The film captures the everyday struggles and resilience of rez life, from unreliable cars to aunties spilling the latest gossip before you even know what’s happening.
And then there’s the humour.
Rez humour is its own genre, and this movie nails it. At one point, Thomas tells Victor he needs to “look like a warrior” before entering the outside world, which basically means acting moody and not smiling. Victor takes his advice way too seriously, walking around like he’s starring in a cologne commercial. It’s both hilarious and painfully relatable.
Let’s be real, Indie movies can sometimes feel like a three-hour lecture on sadness. Smoke Signals is the opposite. It balances humour and heartbreak so well that you’re laughing one second and questioning your entire relationship with your parents the next.
Adam Beach gives a strong and simmering performance as Victor, a guy who thinks bottling up emotions is a personality trait. Meanwhile, Evan Adams steals every scene as Thomas tells long-winded stories that make you wonder if he’s a genius or just really bad at answering simple questions. Their dynamic – blunt silence vs. constant chatter – is what makes the movie work.
And let’s not forget the soundtrack, which is full of ‘90s vibes and Indigenous folk-rock that makes you want to stare wistfully into the distance.
Overall, if you’re looking for an action-packed blockbuster where things explode every five minutes, keep scrolling. But if you want a heartfelt, funny and genuinely moving film that actually represents Indigenous life in a way that feels authentic, Smoke Signals is a must-watch.
Just be prepared for unexpected feelings, because this movie sneaks up on you like an auntie who hasn’t seen you in five years and suddenly wants to know your entire life’s plan.
Watch it, laugh, cry and maybe call your dad afterwards.