‘My Own Private Idaho’ Review: Avant-garde Style Makes for Nearly Unwatchable Film  

Five years after his breakout in “Stand by Me” and two years before his untimely death, River Phoenix would star in a popular indie film called “My Own Private Idaho.”

Written and directed by Gus Van Sant, “Idaho” is loosely based on a handful of Shakespearean plays, all of which I am unfamiliar with, titles notwithstanding.

1991 was the peak of the modern indie film revolution. Titles like “Slacker” and “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” came with high regard while “Clerks” was still to come. “My Own Private Idaho” looks and feels like something from this realm. Simple, low budget, artsy. It premiered at the 48th Venice International Film Festival and is considered a landmark film in New Queer Cinema.

Sound Good

Its premise is interesting enough. Two friends; Mike (River Phoenix) and Scott (Keanu Reeves) embark on a road trip to find Mike’s estranged mother. Hijinks ensue and they grow as friends in the process.

I have only seen River Phoenix in one other film, his breakout in “Stand by Me.” It’s funny how much older he is here, a mere five years later. He’s a great actor to be sure. Handsome in a James Dean rugged sort of way. Watching him made me wonder which direction his career would have gone in had his life not been cut short. Would he have been a movie star akin to Leonardo DiCaprio? Or would he have gone the path of his younger brother Joaquin; demonstrating raw talent with peculiar roles.

Keanu Reeves on the other hand has had an illustrious career that has spanned nearly four decades. Reeves is often mocked for his casual demeanor, but I enjoy watching him on screen and here, he pairs well with Phoenix.    

Avant-garde

“My Own Private Idaho” feels like a dream. The film starts with Mike in the middle of nowhere, muttering to himself on a desolate interstate road. The character is revealed to be street hustler. Sex scenes are consistent so prudish viewers should be advised. As we jump from Portland to a grunge-emerging Seattle, we learn more about the characters of Mike and Scott. Mike is homeless. Scott is the well-off son of the mayor. Mike has feelings for Scott.

The issue is, I didn’t care about either of them.

Gus Van Sant has a deep message, I’m sure of that. I guess I’m not smart enough to figure out its meaning. There are lots of weird scenes and characters. It’s like a bizarre play occurring off the stage. I was lost and quickly bored with the story. Mike is considered a historically important character in the New Queer Cinema movement. But just because the character is non-traditional doesn’t mean they are interesting to watch.

The film has (of course) received tremendous praise from Roger Ebert, The New York Times and Entertainment Weekly, sources that truly reflect the feelings of an average moviegoer. In 2024, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. Okay.

“My Own Private Idaho” clocks in at 96 minutes and it was a struggle to get through. It’s weird and artsy for the sake of being weird and artsy. There are other indie titles from the era that are vastly superior. I recommend watching it as you may get more from it that I did. Meanwhile, I’ll check out more of River Phoenix’ work.