Powwow Highway (1989)

Powwow Highway is special because it turns a simple road trip into a funny, soulful act of resistance, powered by two central characters who feel instantly alive. A Martinez brings fire and urgency as Buddy, while Gary Farmer’s Philbert is a gentle force of humor and spirit—his performance is the kind that sneaks up on you and then stays with you, and the chemistry between them makes every mile feel earned. Jonathan Wacks captures the open-road beauty of the West with a lived-in authenticity, letting comedy and tenderness share the same frame without turning anyone into a symbol. It’s not a slick, plot-first crowd-pleaser—its rhythms are more human than Hollywood—but if you want a warm, wise, character-driven film that laughs, aches, and lifts you up, this one is an easy recommendation.

Powwow Highway is trying to be a funny, soulful road movie that doubles as a pointed snapshot of contemporary Native activism and spiritual reconnection, and when it clicks, the Buddy–Philbert dynamic has real warmth and bite. The catch is that it’s shaggy and uneven: the pacing meanders, the tone swerves from low-key humor to earnest politics to near-mythic detours, and the plot can feel like it’s coasting on vibes more than tight storytelling. If you want a slick, fast-moving crowd-pleaser or a neatly wrapped message, this may test your patience. But if you’re open to a character-driven journey with offbeat comedy and a strong sense of place, it’s got enough heart (and Gary Farmer’s presence) to make the trip worthwhile.