Smoke Signals

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Smoke Signals

PG-13

1998

1h 28m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

90%

Tomatometer

93 Reviews

82%

Popcornmeter

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

Nov 8, 2023

B

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.

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Ann Hornaday

Baltimore Sun

Nov 8, 2023

3/4

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.

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Kevin Thomas

Los Angeles Times

Nov 8, 2023

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.

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Apr 26, 2025

[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.

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Farah Cheded

A Good Movie To Watch

Mar 17, 2024

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

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Sara Wildberger

Miami Herald

Nov 8, 2023

3.5/4

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.

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Brandon G.

@BeyondBlockbuster May 6, 2026

Finally! A film written, directed by and starring indigenous artist/people! A charming road trip story that has heart, wit and emotion! Couldn’t recommend this film enough!

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TI H

@MeInCharacter Oct 7, 2025

I consider this to be a road trip movie with deep emotional impact. It's a hidden gem that you should watch. The character of Thomas will warm your heart. You've never seen a character quite like him before.

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Ty W

@RT48418754 Sep 24, 2024

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

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S R

@ScottR Dec 30, 2023

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.

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Dave W

@RT69597687 Nov 3, 2023

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

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Ali N

@RT88933764 Aug 7, 2023

Sometimes it's a good day to die. And sometimes it's a good day to watch Smoke Signals, Because it's a damn good movie. This is what I thought diversity in films would look like when Hollywood finally started embracing it. But diversity in Hollywood today looks nothing like Smoke Signals, Because Smoke Signals is actually good. Hollywood doesn't make good movies anymore. And now I'm wondering if they ever did, Because Hollywood didn't make Smoke Signals either.

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Chris Eyre

Director

Adam Beach

Victor Joseph

Evan Adams

Thomas Builds-the-Fire

Irene Bedard

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Gary Farmer

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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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