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Smoke Signals

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Smoke Signals

PG-13

Released Jan 16, 1998

1h 28m

Comedy

Drama

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Popcornmeter

90%

Tomatometer

93 Reviews

82%

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10,000+ Ratings

Arnold (Gary Farmer) rescued Thomas (Evan Adams) from a fire when he was a child. Thomas thinks of Arnold as a hero, while Arnold's son Victor (Adam Beach) resents his father's alcoholism, violence and abandonment of his family. Uneasy rivals and friends, Thomas and Victor spend their days killing time on a Coeur d'Alene reservation in Idaho and arguing about their cultural identities. When Arnold dies, the duo set out on a cross-country journey to Phoenix to retrieve Arnold's ashes.

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Critics Consensus

Smoke Signals tells a familiar story from an underrepresented point of view, proving that a fresh perspective can help subvert long-established expectations.

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Eleanor Ringel Cater

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Smoke Signals is a road movie with an acid sense of humor and a heritage-ridden theme that’s as universal as it is specific.

Rated: B

Nov 8, 2023

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Ann Hornaday

Baltimore Sun

Smoke Signals may be the most delightfully quirky surprise of the summer, a shaggy-dog tale that from its opening moments... portrays the Native American legacy of pride and pain with deep emotion, grace and irreverence.

Rated: 3/4

Nov 8, 2023

Full Review

Kevin Thomas

Los Angeles Times

It is a warm film of friendship and reconciliation, and whenever it refers to historic injustices or contemporary issues in Native American culture, it does so with wry, glancing humor. Smoke Signals is indeed poignant, but above all it's pretty funny.

Nov 8, 2023

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

[Sherman] Alexie’s screenplay is full of modest but vivid details and first-time director Eyre has an almost effortless touch in getting them on the screen with an easy mosaic-like mix of snapshots of life on the Rez and on the road mixed.

Apr 26, 2025

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Farah Cheded

A Good Movie To Watch

Hollywood’s first Native American feature is this charming perspective-reorienting dramedy.

Mar 17, 2024

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Sara Wildberger

Miami Herald

It’s the first feature film for director Chris Eyre, and his young leads are relative newcomers to the big screen, but their energy and the freshness of their point of view overcome any rough spots.

Rated: 3.5/4

Nov 8, 2023

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Ty W

In contention for the worst movie I've ever seen.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

09/24/24

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Camden G

Lacking depth, and unoriginal

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

06/18/24

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Martin F

It's very close to what you can expect from a 90's drama with strong emotional moments that are borderline melodramatics but Smoke Signals is a powerful movie nonetheless. With this too underrepresented perspective, we learn the issues, culture, and heritage in native Americans reserves. It's a brilliant homage of the oral traditions as every character would take the time to tell a story true or false, with a pitch perfect narration.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/05/24

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S R

Saw this since it had to do with CDA tribe and I have been to the reservation. It was an interesting movie to see their perspective on being an Indian, but the it was tedious and not well written. It did have some good moments and characters, but it could've been more concise. Saw on delta.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

12/30/23

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Dave W

Love this movie. A great story of friendship, learning from your past, accepting your past and creating your own identity. Great performances all around

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/07/23

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Cecilia A

The isn't many Native American stories that depict the struggle and point of view of new age family dilemmas. I really appreciate the narrative that this movie brings and it is important story.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/28/23

Full Review

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Chris Eyre

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Evan Adams

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Synopsis

Arnold (Gary Farmer) rescued Thomas (Evan Adams) from a fire when he was a child. Thomas thinks of Arnold as a hero, while Arnold's son Victor (Adam Beach) resents his father's alcoholism, violence and abandonment of his family. Uneasy rivals and friends, Thomas and Victor spend their days killing time on a Coeur d'Alene reservation in Idaho and arguing about their cultural identities. When Arnold dies, the duo set out on a cross-country journey to Phoenix to retrieve Arnold's ashes.

Director: Chris Eyre
Producer: Scott M. Rosenfelt, Larry Estes
Screenwriter: Sherman Alexie
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: Miramax
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 16, 1998, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 16, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $6.8M
Runtime: 1h 28m
Sound Mix: Surround

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