Gus Van Sant directs, his only popular status seems to be thought by many to have ruined the Hitchcock cult thriller psycho. Well thats a different story, and so is My Own Private Idaho for that matter. Van Sant in fact has his name tagged on several great movies, including Drugstore cowboy (Mat Dillon), Even cowgirls get the blues, To die for (Nicole Kidman) and Good Will Hunting (Robin Williams, Matt Damon).
When you watch it for the first time, you may be forgiven for thinking it's a porn film; one early scene being that of a fairly sexually graphic nature. As you sit on the edge of your seat wondering where you'll be taken next a strange but enspiring story unfolds.
Set in Portland, River Phoenix (Mike Waters) and Keanu Reeves (Scott Favor) head this creatively crafted masterpiece as hustlers. Keanu being the son of a very rich father, soon to inherit his wealth... and narcoleptic River being a lost soul who's search for his mother and home is reflected in salmon going upstream at rather odd moments indeed.
Mike spends most of the film searching his soul and indeed falling in love with Scott, where Scott spends the film lapping up his freedom and breaking Mike's heart, before he settles quite happily into his lavish 'real life'. This being said, Scott and his real father are alienated and he finds solice in Bob (William Richert), the father of the streets. Bob and Scott's real father are mirrored, both dying around the same time and it is here we see that even with Bob dead, Scott 'Favors' his money over friendships.
There are several other characters of interest, these being Budd played by Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Mike's brother (James Russo) who ultimately ends up being his father(!), and finally Hans (Udo Kier, better known as the guy who gets his fangs pulled out and sizzled to death in Blade) a very weird german guy indeedy.
Do not underestimate the smaller characters, as throughout we hear small and true life stories of hustlers, and the reality of the content can really touch you.
If you watch this film then please watch with an open mind, then watch it three times more, and then twice after that, by then you just might get through the confused stage and open up to it's beautiful simplicity.
Wherever, Whatever, Have a nice day.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Production Year: 2000 - Drama - Director: Giuseppe Tornatore - Original Language: Italian - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Monica Bellucci, Giuseppe Sulfaro, Luciano Federico, Matilde Piana
An excellent film but I did not quite agree with the parallel made with Shakespeare (Falstaff, Henry IV, Henry V)
missixty 09.01.2005 00:01
I think I was a little young when I watched this but I couldn't resist as I was 'in love' with both Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix! Maybe I'll watch it again one day if it's on TV.
tom_knowles 01.07.2001 18:01
Ciao... and who the hell is Gus Van whatever... Tom.
Mapping the spaces between fortune and degeneracy, Shakespeare and street cant, Europe and ... more
the Pacific Northwest, and gay and straight,My Own Private Idahois the 1991 masterpiece by director Gus Van Sant. River Phoenix gave the most generous and memory...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
![My Own Private Idaho [DVD]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78495958.jpg "My Own Private Idaho [DVD]")
very helpful by (100%):
