Smoke Signals
1998 · Movie · PG-13 · 89 min · ★ 6.8 · 80% critics
Two young men from a Native American reservation set out on a road trip after one learns his estranged father has died. With money offered by an unlikely companion, they travel to collect the remains, clashing at first but gradually finding understanding through stories, humor, and hard conversations about family and identity.
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Streaming on Paramount+.
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Details
- Years
- 1998
- Release date
- 1998-06-26
- Language
- English
- Rated
- PG-13
- Runtime
- 89 min
- Critic score
- 80/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.8/10 (115 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a funny, bittersweet road trip about friendship, family wounds, and modern Native life; Not for you if you need tidy resolutions or polished performances like in Nobody's Fool.
Pros: heartfelt road-trip friendship; sharp cultural humor; thoughtful identity themes | Cons: uneven acting; sentimental moments; some loose storytelling
Themes
- idaho
- male friendship
- native american
- road trip
- orphan
- native american reservation
- based on short story
Awards & recognition
- Sundance Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic · 1998
- Sundance Filmmaker Trophy Dramatic · 1998
Cast & crew
Adam Beach
as Victor Joseph
Evan Adams
as Thomas Builds-the-Fire
Irene Bedard
as Suzy Song
Gary Farmer
as Arnold Joseph
Tantoo Cardinal
as Arlene Joseph
Cody Lightning
as Young Victor Joseph
Simon Baker
as Young Thomas Builds-the-Fire
Monique Mojica
as Grandma Builds-the-Fire
John Trudell
as Randy Peone
Elaine Miles
as Lucy
Directed by Chris Eyre