The Review of Smoke Signals: I did not find the film (1) poignant in any way or (2) entertaining for entertainments sake. I found Smoke Signals to be rather uninspiring, there was a lot of hype, and not a lot of substance. The storyline is disjointed and the acting is well below average and unfortunately, the sad performances from the actors did nothing to propel the extremely weak plot. I found Sherman Alexie's story to be lackluster, trying to prove a point which is quite unclear. I wasn't sure if this was a comedy about two opposites thrown together (because there were very few humorous moments, this film certainly was not the side-splitter that reviews boast it to be) or if it was a drama about a man discovering who his father really was. Too many themes are attempted to be covered, leaving the viewer confused and uninterested. Unfortunately, because of the poor script and unskilled actors, this film was not moving or compelling at all, no emotion was evoked, except disdain for everyone involved in the making of this film. Additionally, the Native American accents sound incredibly bizarre to me and resemble a strange mix of Irish, Indian (from India) and American English dialects. In addition to the film's disjointed feel, many scenes felt rushed and contrived. The somewhat interesting dynamic and contrast between Victor and Thomas seemed to resolve itself just in time for the end of the film. Also, Thomas' fascination and appreciation for Victor's father, (as the father he never had) is hardly explored or discussed by either character. Conversely, the relationship between Suzy and Victor's father feels completely unbelievable and seems to work only as a means for Victor to better know his father, although I am never convinced that happens. Because of consistent plot holes, or rather underdevelopments, the audience must take great leaps of faith throughout the entire film, hardly any of which pay off.
Review of Smoke Signals
