Review of My Own Private Idaho (1991) by Andy R — 22 Jun 2013

Van Sant's tale of the misadventures of two male prostitutes, one narcoleptic and childlike, the other a rich young man rebelling against his father's wealth and power, mixes scenes of gritty street life with a bohemian feel and Shakesperean theatricality, which is directly quoted.

My own private Idaho is intelligent but also conceals a sweet inner core that sometimes shows, particularly in the friendship between the two leading characters. The acting is a little off beat, perhaps unable to keep up with the flair of such an unusually original screenplay, but nevertheless, the colourful characters and the story feels fresh and sexually charged all throughout.