Review of My Own Private Idaho (1991) by Sean S — 02 Jul 2012

Neither smart nor sad, but maybe it's because I had major expectations going into it and I was very let down. One is led to believe that it's a tale of unrequited gay love from River Phoenix's character, but that is just a minor concern.

Keanu Reeves' character is an unredemptive, self-absorbed douchebag who receives unnecessary flattery and screentime. Furthermore, the plot is all over the place, making it unfocused and jarring. The pseudo-Shakespearean dialogue is laughable and turns the film into an unintended joke.

Gus Van Sant's later films, including Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, are superior to this. In short, it's not heartfelt, and not heartbreaking; it doesn't know what it wants to be.