Smoke Signals

Drama? Comedy? I'm not really sure if the movie Smoke Signals was presented in a very good way. Directors have very specific purposes in making films, and I'm not sure if this film was presented efficiently. There was a lot going on in this film, yet it did still have a central message. It could have been done differently with a much more effective impact. Smoke Signals was very confusing to me and it was not one of my favorite films.

First of all, there were many mixed signals within this film. In a lot of scenes, there would be very serious dialogue followed by characters acting very comical. I am familiar with the role of comic relief, but it seemed very out of place and almost detracted from the purpose of each scene. Personally, I was interested more in Thomas (the comic relief character) than Victor and his struggles. I didn't connect with Victor due to my constant laughter whenever Thomas spoke. Comic relief is essential in dramas and films with serious tones, but it should not overshadow or take away from the main parts of the film. This occurred numerous times throughout Smoke Signals. Though I was confused and distracted from the film's message, I was able to understand the themes and the plot. The underlying themes were quite obvious: alcohol abuse, abandonment, and unlikely friendships.

Alcoholism was very apparent and a problem for the characters in Smoke Signals. If it wasn't for Arnold's drunkenness, the film would have been much different or nonexistent. Whether Arnold would've become an alcoholic is debatable, but he might not have become such a guilty, troubled, and abusive man. Alcohol was a very popular object in this film, as it was referenced or placed in scenes many times. It definitely had an impact on the entire Coeur D'Alene Reservation, not only Victor and his father.

The abandonment theme ties into the unlikely friendship that was formed between Thomas and Victor. Thomas was saved by Arnold in the fire that Arnold started. Therefore, Thomas was grateful to Arnold and always wanted to talk to Victor about how great a man Arnold was. Over the years, Victor became very annoyed of Thomas, but also grew fond of him and formed a strange friendship. The two were brought even closer together with Arnold's death.

Since Smoke Signals did tackled some tough issues in alcohol abuse and abandonment, comic relief was essential. However, I have a problem with the way it was done. Personally, I do not feel that it was done in a respectful way. The Indian Reservation setting was not necessary. The same story could have been told in any other setting with characters of any nationality or race. The characters could have even been of different races and still had the same story. I felt that in many cases the Native American population was made fun of. I would've been extremely offended if I was of Native American ancestry.

In conclusion, this would not be a film that I would watch again or recommend that others watch. Perhaps there were themes that I did not see or fully appreciate in this film. Yet, I feel that this film was embarrassing at times to the Native American population. I have many Native American friends that also have this thought; however, there are other Native friends of mine that absolutley love this movie. It all comes down to the viewer's perception. As for myself, Smoke Signals would not be a film that I'd rate high.