Review of Smoke Signals (1998) by Simon D — 12 Oct 2007
A film made by Native Americans for a popular audience. As entertaining as the film is, natives and non-natives alike might feel ambivalent about the popular form is takes. The adoption of Hollywood/white storytelling conventions relegates traditional native conventions (as they're embodied by Thomas) to that of comedy; something awkward, geeky, and sweet, but still passé and out of place.
Multiple attempts to resolve these issues make for ambiguous and uneasy hybrids of both film form and contemporary native identity; probably a good reflection of today's reality. In any case, it makes for good entertainment and, for those with pensive dispositions, some provocative issues to struggle with.
This review of Smoke Signals (1998) was written by Simon D on 12 Oct 2007.
Smoke Signals has generally received positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
