My Own Private Idaho (1991)

The Worst Film Ever

Instant Favorite.

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

Gus Van Sant tends to make very strange, surreal yet extremely realistic movies like Elephant, Drugstore Cowboy, To Die For, Gerry and so on. Elephant has it's own flaws, but I think it's the magnum opus of these realistic stories of surrealism, but this is definitely a contender. This is probably one of the more surreal of the films, as it ventures into magical realism, dreams, drug trips, etc. Heartthrobs, River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves lead the show as Mike and Scott. Scott Favor comes from a wealthy upbringing, but decides to sleep on rooftops, streets and have sex for money. He doesn't need to, he wants to. On the other side of things is Mike, a narcoleptic, homeless bastard. These two have an unexpected friendship as they try and search for Mike's mother, steal from a man named Bob, drive through America on a moped. The film is filled with paintings of shots. It's an odyssey. Most filmmakers are unable to achieve such development of character in 4 hours, but this movie does it under two.10/10Gus Van Sant is a genius and is wasting his time with projects like The Sea of Trees, Promised Land etc.

Mike (River Phoenix) is a hustler prostitute who suffers from narcolepsy. He has dreams of being comforted by his mother. Mike's best friend is fellow hustler Scott Favor (Keanu Reeves). Scott is rebelling against his father who was the wealthy mayor of Portland. He expects to inherit money from him at 21. Mike is obsessed with finding his mother and is in love with Scott. Their journey would take them from Portland to Idaho to Italy and then back to Portland.Gus Van Sant creates a meandering journey of two lost souls. Reeves and Phoenix are doing terrific work. It gets surreal at times. I actually want a greater visual surrealism to his dreams although the indie budget would prevent that. I'm not so much in love with the Shakespearian influence on the dialog with Bob. It takes me out of the gritty street world. It's an up and down movie for me. I find parts of it fascinating but others too flighty.

Loosely based on Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1, Henry IV, Part 2, and Henry V, 'My Own Private Idaho' is A Difficult, yet Absorbing Story! Its a hard-hitting tale about human-relations, that has been Directed most effectively by Gus Van Sant. Also, the performances are top-notch!'My Own Private Idaho' Synopsis: Two best friends living on the streets of Portland as hustlers embark on a journey of self discovery and find their relationship stumbling along the way. 'My Own Private Idaho' deals with human tragedy & misguidedness. Its central protagonists, haunted by their childhoods, grow up as shallow & angry individuals. And when they embark on a journey together, much after developing a bond, even their friendship, sadly begins to decline. Its a heart-breaking, unsettling story of two lost souls in search of a better life. Gus Van Sant has made terrific cinema with 'My Own Private Idhao'. Although its not flawless, thanks to its dull pacing, but other-wise, it works wonders. The Maverick Filmmaker creates a bleak world, without any hesitations whatsoever. His Direction & Screenplay, both, are competent. Performance-Wise: The Late/Great River Phoenix & Keanu Reeves deliver amazing performances. Phoenix, especially, delivers a searing performance as a troubled soul. He embodies the part & stands out from start to end. Reeves is a revelation. He enacts a rather difficult part, with rare ease & understanding. A Special Mention for William Richert. He's fantastic in a supporting role. On the whole, 'My Own Private Idaho' is a strong effort.

Every time I see this film, I forget how incredibly amazing it is. Yes I'm a huge fan of of the late, great, River Phoenix, think Keanu Reeves is highly underrated, and love Shakespeare. This is a modern adaptation to Henry IV, based around two hustlers Mike and Scott (River and Keanu) and their relationship, with the added wrinkle that Mikey is a narcoleptic and trying to find his long lost mother. Scott is the rich boy who turns his back on his street life when his inheritance kicks in. River's performance is astounding, tender and powerful, and it's a brave pair of best friends (in real life) that take on roles like this but the affection between them is palpable and somehow makes the story of unrequited love even more heartbreaking.The Shakespeare gets confusing if you aren't familiar, as it washes in and out, and if you haven't seen Gus Van Sant before you might not quite follow the surreal imagery and the trippy nature of the film. It's arty, weird and dark, but has a lot of humour and sensitivity, despite being a little bawdy in places, however for all it's adult subject matter it's quite discrete! River and Keanu are astounding in this, and it's a film that River should be remembered for as the bright star he was.