[10] The film's title is derived from the song "Private Idaho" by the B-52's that Van Sant heard while visiting the state in the early 1980s. River Phoenix was an extra-ordinary actor. My Own Private Idaho ressuscite le premier ge du cinma de Gus Van Sant : baroque, mlodramatique, hallucin, mais dj hautement conceptuel. Though possessed of little substance, My Own Private Idaho speaks to the same part of your brain that Party Monster or the like might, and a film that speaks to you at all is a film of merit. By creating an account, you agree to the We wont be able to verify your ticket today, but its great to know for the future. It really rings true. [11], Van Sant showed the script to a 20th Century Fox executive who liked Shakespeare. The film was originally released on VHS and LaserDisc in 1992. He gives the movie its emotional edge, and there's just something very haunting about the performance he gives. During a lunch break one day, Van Sant turned the camera on these guys and interviewed them, hoping to inspire the cast with some authenticity. We meet Mike (River Phoenix), a drifter and a hustler, who stands on the side of a long road, contemplating its beauty and considering whether he's ever been down this path before. with updates on movies, TV shows, Rotten Tomatoes podcast and more. 198 likes, 3 comments - Doubt Mag. 80%. He starts talking to himself and notices that the road looks "like someone's face, like a fucked-up face." River Phoenix - Mike Waters. In his review for Rolling Stone magazine, Peter Travers wrote, "Van Sant's cleareyed, unsentimental approach to a plot that pivots on betrayal and death is reflected in magnetic performances from Reeves and Phoenix. Trailer. Synopsis. I have watched this countless times, and I get ever more insight with every viewing. Keanu Reeves performance is equally powerful as a child . "My Own Private Idaho. Dark & strange subject matter is explored in a light & colorful way. To help get you in the mood, WW has created a handy walking tour of . - Bob Pigeon: I'd give a thousand dollars to be able to run as fast as you can. Again he is looking into the lives of outlaws on the road. Man, Van Sant sure loves him some Portland, about as much as men, and he was able to put gay themes in here, so I reckon this is a definitive film for him. His condition has given him a certain dreamy detachment; there is no use getting too deeply involved in events you may end up sleeping through. Landmark Film for New Queer Cinema of the 1990s. 74, but the song did far better in the clubs: the tune ascended all the way to No. It was something I wrote down a night, two nights, before, and then I showed it to Keanu and Gus. Things happen, the film ends, and the impression is that while the film was decent enough, it could have been better. Stafford won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Film Music in 1992 for his score. He was a very compassionate intelligent young man. There are some funny parts in this movie too. I had forgotten how much I loved him. New Line Cinema, Sound Mix: [12], Initially, no studio would finance the film because of its controversial and offbeat subject matter. Two of my favorite scenes are River's character Mike doing the little Dutch boy scene and scenes with Hans, the gay flaming German guy. He then experiences a narcoleptic episode and dreams of his mother comforting him as home movies of his childhood play in his mind. I bought the Blu-ray version. Together, the two travel from Portland, Oregon to Idaho and finally to the coast of Italy in a quest to find Mike's estranged mother. Email address. (1991) The mayor's rebellious son (Keanu Reeves) slums with a narcoleptic hustler (River Phoenix) in Washington before embarking on a quest with him. Frustrated, Van Sant attempted to make the film on a shoestring budget with a cast of actual street kids, including Michael Parker and actor Rodney Harvey, who was going to play Scott. My Own Private Idaho adds a new ingredient: a kind of boho sweetness. 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Yeah, as if "Stand By Me" didn't feel a little fruity already, enjoy this spin-off in which Chris Chambers goes gay and hooks up with Keanu Reeves. [27] The film was released in limited theaters in the United States on September 29, 1991. This movie is like nothing I've ever seen. You're almost there! Grey marl hoodies, plaid and denim jackets in My Own Private Idaho, which places pin-ups River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves among unknown actors, all dressed in the same gritty, grimy stuff. A couple of weeks ago I was going through some movies on my computer. Mike's narcolepsy kicks in and he's . 'My Own Private Idaho' is a great little off-beat movie. Read reviews and buy My Own Private Idaho (DVD)(2022) at Target. Shakespeare, Narcolepsy, Love, Dickens, Desires - Brilliant! To conclude, 'My Own Private Idaho' stands as a classic example of the queer character in cinema with its emotional demonstration of queer love and acts while contrasting them with the ever dominant heteronormative perceptions which can act to eliminate LGBT+ identities. But according to Van Sant, Phoenix really wanted to beef up the impact of the scene. The achievement of this film is that is wants to evoke that state of drifting need, and it does. In this, and every scene, Phoenix immerses himself so deeply inside his character you almost forget you've seen him before: it's a stunningly sensitive performance, poignant and comic at once. 'My Own Private Idaho' is one of those films that you will always think about and remember. (He intended the actors to flesh it out with improvisation, which they did.) After he falls into another narcoleptic stupor, two strangers pull up in a truck, take his backpack and shoes, and drive away. Mike, a street hustler, stands alone on a deserted stretch of highway. Richard tells a story of a man he claims is Mike's father, but Mike says that he knows it is Richard. I also thank his parents so much for his upbringing and making him aware of these things. An amazing Gay Iconic movie with Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix! In one of the most significant scenes, his best friend. "[40] On Metacritic, the film holds a weighted average score of 77 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[41]. There are no "kings" or "princes," but there are politicians and their children; here Scott Favor (Keanu Reeves) is the son of politician Jack Favor (Tom Troupe), the modern day versions of Prince Hal and King Henry IV . The film is about two street hustlers, one (Mike - River Phoenix) of whom has narcolepsy and is continually falling asleep wherever that may be, and the other, Scott (Keenu Reeves), who comes from a well to do family. We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Well worth the price for a fan of this Iconic movie. Scott Favor is the rebellious son of a mayor. Now, that's as far as I remember, and that shouldn't hold you back from getting this little gem of early 90s cinema. Scott Favor (Keanu Reeves) is the rebellious son of a mayor. Film critic Roger Ebert wrote, "The achievement of this film is that it wants to evoke that state of drifting need, and it does. For if River Phoenix was here today he would be very aware of this and be standing up for people's basic rights. Rated R My Own Private Idaho is a 1991 American independent adventure drama film written and directed by Gus Van Sant, loosely based on Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1, Henry IV, Part 2, and Henry V.The story follows two friends, Mike Waters and Scott Favor, played by River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves respectively, as they embark on a journey of personal discovery that takes them from Portland, Oregon, to . [44], My Own Private Idaho received the Showtime International Critics Award at the 1991 Toronto Film Festival. "My Own Private Idaho"(1991) is directed by Gus Van Sant(Drugstore Cowboy, Good Will Hunting, Finding Forrester). River Phoenix (Stand by Me) and Keanu Reeves (The Matrix) star in this haunting tale from Gus Van Sant (Mala Noche), about two young street hustlers: Mike Waters, a sensitive narcoleptic who dreams of the mother who abandoned him, and Scott Favor, the wayward son of the mayor of Portland and the object of Mikes desire. It loosely adapts Shakespeare's "King Henry IV: Part 1" in combination with Orson Welles's "The Chimes at Midnight." The main characters of "My Own Private Idaho" loosely parallel the characters of "King Henry IV: [47] Phoenix was the Best Actor runner-up in the 1991 New York Film Critics Circle awards and received the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead and National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor, becoming the second-youngest winner of the former. Scott, the son of the mayor of Portland, confides to Bob that when he turns 21, he will inherit his father's fortune and retire from street hustling. "[36], Conversely, USA Today gave My Own Private Idaho two and half stars out of four, calling it "nothing but set pieces; tossed into a mix whose meaning is almost certainly private". Visually dazzling and thematically groundbreaking, My Own Private Idaho is a deeply moving look at unrequited love and life on societys margins. Off-beat and shakespearian at times, this arthouse production is existentialist in its undertones, but no aspect of it feels forced, rather, everything flows naturally. [23] They were not in the script and the film's producer was worried that he was using too much film. On the Bret Easton Ellis Podcast some years ago, Van Sant even posited that Mike and Scott might not have sexualities in the conventional sense. Picture 8/10. "My Own Private Idaho" is an imaginary place where one is locked in the arms of lovethat is, both protected and free. MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO. However, the fun way this film was styled & assembled, combined with the star talents of River Phoenix Good movie. Cinemark This blu-ray set comes with a 68 page booklet with essays by Amy Taubin, JT Leroy, Lance Loud, and reprinted interviews with Van Sant, Phoenix, and Keenu Reeves. [11] In a 2012 interview, Kiefer Sutherland said that he declined Van Sant's offer to star in the lead role because he wanted to go skiing, a decision he has said he regrets. It's the strangest thing. It looks like we don't have any synopsis for this title yet. Stay up-to-date on all the latest Rotten Tomatoes news! Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. Mike and Scott will do almost anything for the other, but under the circumstances of the different view of their own future, their friendship may have a limited shelf life. The film was a moderate financial success, grossing over $8 million, above its estimated budget of $2.5 million. Please try again. One night, Bob sees Scottie entering an up-scale restaurant in fancy clothes. "[34] J. Hoberman, in his review for The Village Voice, wrote, "While Phoenix vanishes with reckless triumph into his role, Reeves stands, or occasionally struts, uneasily beside his, unable to project even the self-mocking wit of Matt Dillon's star turn in Drugstore Cowboy. Van Sant promised not to make either actor do anything embarrassing. Coming Soon, Regal Genres: Drama, Road Movie, New Queer Cinema, LGBTQ. In the script, Van Sant made the Scott character a rich kid, also fashioned after street hustlers Van Sant had met in Portland. The performances from River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves are simply outstanding and the simple message the. Everything Everywhere All At Once [Blu-ray]. The film is about two street hustlers, one (Mike - River Phoenix) of whom has narcolepsy and is continually falling asleep wherever that may be, and the other, Scott (Keenu Reeves), who comes from a well to do family. The heaviness of the literal subject matter doesn't weigh this film down, defying the odds. In a sense, their own lives are so elusive that what they do to the lives of others is not very meaningful. My Own Private Idaho ( 1991) Ending / spoiler (3 votes) Add something More info Mistakes Quotes Ending F**k Marry Kill More Mike doesn't find his mother in Italy. ${cardName} not available for the seller you chose. William Richert - Bob Pigeon. the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. 2.75/5 - Decent. [42] The second disc features new interviews, outtakes and more information about the movie. This is brave movie making. Essay, October 2018, for class ENGL 225 "Shakespeare" "My Own Private Idaho" is a 1991 film directed by Gus Van Sant. Visually dazzling and thematically groundbreaking, My Own Private Idaho is a deeply moving look at unrequited love and life on societys margins. Performances are solid throughout, and River Phoenix's performance is truly outstanding. Van Sant was leaving it ambiguous whether either of the hustlers was actually gay. 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