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Summary: The best thing to happen to Skin on the Rez and off the Rez!
Review: I'm non-Indian, my husband a non-Rez Navajo ... but we both understood this film, no problem. Took my retired minister father who almost fell out of his seat with laughter at parts and wiped away tears at other places. Sherman Alexie shows today's Indian, their feelings, their culture, their difficulty with living as Indian in the White Man's world. This is a film about pride of self, pride of culture, surviving abuse, relationships with abusive parents, forgiveness and acceptance. Highly recommended. Could never get tired of this film. Recommend getting the screen play also!
Rating: 
Summary: No timeless classic, just a good movie
Review: I'm happy I can say I think I understood most of the humor in spite of not having Indian blood... I do not agree with the reviewer that expected to find Alexie's book filmed. Many films are by far better than their prose originals (think of Birdy or the English Patient), others are rather completely different (think of Blade Runner). Unfortunately, the establishment Swiss commentators see the movie as an 'Indian melodrama', which is a gross misrepresentation. The movie is memorable, it is fun, it is good.
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Summary: a very enjoyable movie about relationships and culture
Review: very funny and touching. one of the best films I have seen. The influence of the childhood father/son relationships upon the adult son was very sobering.
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Summary: This movie is a "must-see" film for all ages.
Review: "Smoke Signals" is a multi-level film with texture (like "Amadeus"), depth (like "Good Will Hunting"), and humor (a serious film which also has comedy, like "Tootsie"). It is both a "father-son" and a "buddy" film that has a great soundtrack, wonderful actors (were they really acting?), and a good story line that gives the viewer a subtext from which to view the action of the film and the characters. In addition, the casting was superb and the imagery was stunning. It is a deeply touching film, whose threads all connect, in the end, to form a beautiful living tapestry. It seems trite to try to describe "Smoke Signals" to a tee. Suffice it to say that I was lucky enough to have seen this film twice as it breezed through the independent film houses in town: once with my wife & friends, and again when I took my teenage children & their friends--and all of us were moved by the experience. I left with the feeling that I had walked a little in the characters' shoes and knew a little bit more about them "from the inside" as well as from out. This is one film I will own, as it has also owned me. Thank you, Sundance, and to you, the beautiful people of the Coeur d'Alene tribe, who worked up this magic and shared it with us. And now, like another reviewer herein has stated, if I could only find a "Frybread Power" T-shirt.
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Summary: Touching and hilarious, one of the best films of the year
Review: Every year I'm happy if I get five images that truly stun me from the cinema. This movie had several, including the final scene voice-over that runs over the beautiful country around the reservation. It's obviously a first film, and equally obvious that we should have much to look forward to in the future. There's a tenderness and depth that big budget pictures can't match. I fell in love with the two main characters right away. You must see this film if you enjoy new challenging voices in film. Probably my favorite film this year. I think this is far better than the much more heralded "Happiness."
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Summary: Best Movie of the Year
Review: What a refreshing and joyous experience! This movie delivers everything that is good about film and nothing that is typically wrong. Well written, beautifully scored, wonderfully acted; with the wisdom, humor and depth to take you to a wonderful place that only a truly good movie can; a joy to experience. Accolades to Evan Adams as Thomas Builds-the-Fire: brilliant! Transends all ethnic boundaries without losing a shred of the power which belongs to the Indian voice. This movie speaks in THEIR voice, thanks to Sherman Alexie's well written screen play. What a joy to hear that voice for the first time untouched by Anglo stereotypes! Bravo!
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Summary: Easily one of the best of 98
Review: it is a real shame that this movie will go completely unoticed at next months Oscar nominations. It was easly one of the best movies on 1998.That, however, should not prevent you from seeing it if you have not already. Soon to be out on video, this will be you chance to see waht real movie making can be! Yes, there IS life outside of Hollywood!
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Summary: A touching story of relationships
Review: The most important facet of the film was the portrayl of the interactions between the two friends and the father. The story is set against the interesting background of reservation life, but the primary message was a universal one, about dealing with the faults of someone close. Every story has unique characters and a unique setting, which are augmentative and should not blind one to the truth which rests in this image. One should not become cought in the verifacation of the authenticity of the setting and fail to see the universal human quality that Smoke Signals portrays so well. Rarely am I prompted to buy a movie, and to nearly force people to see it, but Smoke Signals is an exception.
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Summary: Exquisite voice for Native Americans
Review: I had the privilege to go to the Denver premiere for Smoke Signals and meet Chris Eyre the director. As a Native American and schooled in classic western academe, I believe this film spoke volumes. Although, it did not challenge any existing relationships between Native Americans and non-Natives. It used humor to break through racial stereotyping and non-Native perceptions of Native Americans. I don't think Alexie pushes any political envelopes with this film because if he did, noone in the film industry would have picked it up. I am also a photographer and film student. I know how the film industry works with its politics. I think this is a strong film, it is fictional, based on his first collection of short stories, "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven."
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Summary: You have to be totally Indian!
Review: Totally "Rez" humor; I loved it! You have to have lived on the "Rez" to totally understand the humor. "N-naa'?"
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