My Own Private Idaho Movie Review 1991

Director Van Sant of "Drugstore Cowboy" returns to the underworld to examine another group of outsiders, this time young, homosexual hustlers. On the streets of Seattle, narcoleptic hustler Mike meets slumming rich boy Scott, and together they begin a search for Mike's lost mother, which leads them to Idaho and Italy. Stunning visuals, an elliptical plot, and a terrific performance by Phoenix highlight this search for love, the meaning of life, and power. Van Sant couples these activities with scenes from Shakespeare's "Henry IV" for a sometimes inscrutable, but always memorable film. Look for director Richert's Falstaff role as an aging chickenhawk.

Distribution

New Line Home Video, 116 N. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, Phone: (310)854-5811, Fax: (310)854-1824, URL: http://www.newline.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 105 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Gays, Oldest Profession, Rome--Modern, Teen Angst, Modern Shakespeare, Road Trip, The Meaning of Life, Thumbs Up, Seattle

Screenplay

Gus Van Sant

Cast

River Phoenix, Keanu Reeves, James Russo, William Richert, Rodney Harvey, Michael Parker, Flea, Chiara Caselli, Udo Kier, Grace Zabriskie, Tom Troupe

Cinematography

John Campbell, Eric Alan Edwards

Director

Gus Van Sant

Producer

Fine Line Features

Awards

Ind. Spirit 1992: Actor (Phoenix), Screenplay; Natl. Soc. Film Critics 1991: Actor (Phoenix).