Having liked/loved some of Gus Van Sant's other work (i.e. 'Good Will Hunting'), as someone who thinks that Keanu Reeves has given good performances in his career and who absolutely adores River Phoenix in 'Stand By Me' (one of the greatest child performances ever to me), as well as being intrigued by the story's themes, 'My Own Private Idaho' quickly went on my ever growing "to see" list.Finally seeing 'My Own Private Idaho' was well worth the wait and watch. It is definitely understandable as to why it won't click, and hasn't done, with some, it is a very love it or hate it film and has its uneven moments. However it is even easier to see why people find so appealing about it, namely the acting, how the film looks and how the themes are dealt with.Getting the faults out of the way, 'My Own Private Idaho's' biggest fault is the middle act. Here the film does meander, with some dull stretches and narratively it becomes less cohesive. The Shakespearean dialogue is sometimes clever and funny, but too often it also jars and comes over clumsily.However, 'My Own Private Idaho' is filled with exquisite images, the cinematography being both dream-like and gritty and the scenery equally to die for. Van Sant's direction also creates this hypnotising dream-like effect to the visuals and how the story is told. The music is hauntingly downbeat and full of pathos.'My Own Private Idaho's' script is not perfect, but much of it is poignant and thoughtful. Despite a meandering middle act, much of the story makes the most of its daring themes and how they're dealt with ensures that the film is as relevant and resonant today as it was 26 years ago. It's told gently, but also with a grit and pathos that makes the film unsettling and moving.Keanu Reeves' performance has been criticised, personally belong in the camp who thinks that he gives one of his better and more natural performances that breaks the mould. There is no doubting however that River Phoenix's is infinitely better, an extraordinary turn that's even better than that in 'Stand By Me' and showed potential for him to be one of the finest actors of his generation if he had not died so tragically so young. They are supported by an electric supporting cast, riotous William Richert and creepy Udo Kier being the scene stealers.Overall, not for everybody but for me despite its imperfections there was a lot to admire here. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Mike (River Phoenix) is a hustler prostitute who suffers from narcolepsy. He has dreams of being comforted by his mother. Mike's best friend is fellow hustler Scott Favor (Keanu Reeves). Scott is rebelling against his father who was the wealthy mayor of Portland. He expects to inherit money from him at 21. Mike is obsessed with finding his mother and is in love with Scott. Their journey would take them from Portland to Idaho to Italy and then back to Portland.Gus Van Sant creates a meandering journey of two lost souls. Reeves and Phoenix are doing terrific work. It gets surreal at times. I actually want a greater visual surrealism to his dreams although the indie budget would prevent that. I'm not so much in love with the Shakespearian influence on the dialog with Bob. It takes me out of the gritty street world. It's an up and down movie for me. I find parts of it fascinating but others too flighty.

I love watching River Phoenix act in this movie. He creates such a style and performance originality, in this real out there offbeat film, we are still reminded, of what a super great or more correctly, unique actor, he was, his acting talent and versatility, stretching more, than that of De Caprio. Along with Reeves, who's fair here, they're homeless hustlers, who dirty old pervs, mainly men, pay them for their services. Phoenix is on a search to find his mother, that takes him, with best friend Reeves, across a few states, to no avail. The film has comical moments, as well as some intriguing scenes, this fascinating piece of work, is not tainted one bit, in it's twenty two years of it's existence when watching it. Rich handsome, older perv, Hans (Udo Kier) has one trademark scene, where he's doing an exotic dance, lamp and all, to an old fifties tune, for our two hustler's benefit. A later scene has the three in a naked menois de trois of pose shots, Phoenix wearing bra and panties, that honestly wanted to make me puke, as a couple of other scenes did, like one young hustler, describing some sexual wants of his customer. I loved James Remar in this, his confrontation with Phoenix, when trying to pass him off as not his real father, his corny story I loved. The scene stealer here, was the veteran homeless drunk, Bob, a deep charismatic, and thespian orchestrated performance. What was the real heartbreaking moment of the film to be honest, was the severing friendship of Phoenix and Reeves towards the end, as Reeves falls for someone of the opposite sex, while turning his back on his whole homeless troupe. Reeves living up the high life after pop passes away, had me questioning if this was real, as it just seemed weird, in light of all that happened before this. o me this part didn't seem real. A lot of images to this film (dolphins flying through the sea, a barn crashing down, etc) and many other offbeat attractions, make this film, one of those fascinating and undying classics of peculiar tastes. I couldn't understand though as a hustler in this, Phoenix, wasn't attracting much female clientele. The whole attraction to this film is it's weirdness, and it doesn't stop, being weird right up to the end. If you love River Phoenix, you have to watch this film. Gus Van Sant's most daring work. I mean how often do you see Keanu atop River, rolling around under covered sheets.

Like a super 8 film from the 70's/80's New York this felt like it was art created for the screen on a setting, the open plan falling down dilapidated building. Beautifully shot with scenes of the hills and fields that seemed to roll on forever. The acting even included San Sant himself as well as Grace Zabriskie who is normally in David Lynch's films.The story was maybe even too weird for me and didn't really get a resonance and stayed very flat, it was not his best but showed how he can make his films.Although it was maybe too weird it still made me want to be there in that building, the place where creativity happens, as spaces like that spark imagination.