Review of My Own Private Idaho (1991) by Joni K — 27 Nov 2007

One of the first movies I watched with an ouvertly gay main character it made a lasting but also very scarring impression on me as a young gay man just about to come out of the closet. Mike's despair and desperation and unhappy love for Scott was at the time proof to me of how difficult it would be to find a man to love ( something that life has fortunately disproved!) and rewatching it today it is a completely different story that unfolds before me - that of both young men's desperate quest for approval and acceptance from their parents - both are equally self-destructive - the only difference being that Scott has a way out, that ultimately costs him dearly in terms of selfrespect.

Both Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix perform brilliantly - the Shakespeare/Dickens inspired dialogue and theme is a bit too directly conveyed - not much is left for the audence's own interpretation, but in a way it has a certain Baz Luhrmann quality to it, that I like.