Smoke Signals Directed by Chris Eyre. Specifically

¶ … Smoke Signals directed by Chris Eyre. Specifically it will discuss what the film is attempting to say to us.

"Smoke Signals" made history because it was the first film made by Native Americans, and acted by Native Americans. The story is really about two young men coming of age and learning to accept each other, and their past, to move ahead in life.

The textbook calls Native American history "among the most intriguing in history, that has captivated scholars for centuries" (Gibson 2). This film is a natural evolution of that history. It is natural that Native Americans would want to tell their own story on film, and this film is the culmination of Native Americans working together to tell their own story. Victor and Thomas have to come to terms with their past in order to move on with their lives in this film. That past revolves around Arnold, who was Victor's father and saved Thomas from a fire that killed his parents. To Victor, Arnold was an abusive alcoholic who abandoned the family. To Thomas, he was a hero. Both young men have to come to terms with their beliefs after Arnold dies and they travel to Phoenix to collect his ashes. Victor's mother says in the film "Your daddy's magic act: he sawed us all into pieces, didn't he?" (Smoke Signals). The father is in many ways a stereotypical Native American, who is unable to rise out of alcoholism, but becomes a hero in the eyes of a child. In reality, he caused the fire that killed Thomas' parents, which reduces him from the rank of hero, but learning this brings Thomas and Victor closer together, more like brothers and less like rivals.

Arnold struggled with his own demons, as the boys learn, and this brings them closer together. In many ways, this is a simple "coming of age" film, one that has been made countless times before. However, this film's twist is the Native American angle, and what the boys face in the future, probably on the reservation in Idaho. They face prejudice, they face lack of work, they face social problems like alcoholism and divorce, and in a way, and they could relive Arnold's life if they allow themselves. As they become easier and closer to each other throughout the film, it is easy to hope that they will not make the same choices their father made. Learning more about him will allow them to make better choices and become better men, and that is part of the point of this film. It is funny, it pokes fun at Native American stereotypes, and it is lighthearted in many ways, but it packs an important message underneath, and that is to break the stereotype and become better men.

The film absolutely had to be made in an American Indian milieu, although the underlying theme is timeless and raceless. It could have been about anyone on some levels, but on other levels, it totally describes many of the problems facing Native Americans living on the reservation. The message would not have been as affective if it had not been told from the Native American perspective, and it would not have been as humorous, either. Screenwriter Alexie adds quite a bit of wry humor into the film, and it would have seemed offensive coming from non-Native actors and a non-Native setting. Alexie is not above poking fun at situations and stereotypes of Native Americans, and that would not have been nearly as affective coming from non-Native actors.