With so many movies based on fantasy, it is striking to watch one about the real world.

“Smoke Signals” is definitely striking.

No savage Indians dressed in leather, war paint and feathers in this film. The audience sees common people living in a typical Native American reservation in the 1990s.

The movie follows the journey of the young Victor Joseph (Adam Beach) as he travels from his reservation to Arizona to pick up the belongings of his dead father Arnold Joseph (Gary Farmer).

Arnold deserted Victor when he was a child, and he has never forgiven him for leaving. Memories of Arnold and questions surrounding why he left are brought to the surface as Victor travels.

Victor does not travel alone to Arizona, however. He grudgingly takes along his childhood friend Thomas Builds-the-Fire.

Thomas is definitely an odd man. Raised by his grandmother after he lost his parents in a house fire, Thomas starts telling one of his stories, and her influence is evident.

His tales resemble the oral tradition of his culture’s past, but the characters and events are exaggerated retellings of everyday, modern situations he has encountered.

Thomas tells a story about Victor’s mother feeding the entire reservation with her famous “frybread,” a staple food in their culture.

Another story Thomas recounts is when Arnold takes him to dinner at Denny’s. “Some days it’s a good day to die. Some days it’s a good day to eat breakfast,” Thomas says.

The most valuable moments in “Smoke Signals” are those in which the characters take stabs at the cultural stereotypes.

The characters joke about the legends of General Custer, Sitting Bull and the Indians in “Dances With Wolves,” fully knowing that they are nothing like these stereotypes.

In one scene, Victor tells the rather nerdy-looking Thomas that he needs to look more like an Indian. How? He tells Thomas to look stoic, let his hair down so it flows all around, and most importantly, stop wearing a suit.

Thomas does what Victor asks, and he does look like a Hollywood Indian, but with one exception. Instead of a suit, Victor is wearing a bright blue T-shirt with the words “Frybread Power” boldly printed across the chest. So much for the feathers and war paint.

“Smoke Signals” is an original and does not focus on the fading of a culture. We see Native American culture as growing and becoming stronger through the passing of time and the strength of friendship.

4 1/2 stars out of five

Teresa Halvorsen is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Northwood.