My Own Private Idaho (Gus Van Sant)
Oh Gus Van Sant, so long to your days of glory it would seem after the abysmal reception Sea of Trees garnered at the notoriously vocal Cannes Film Festival. Let’s remember the good old days with his best film, the River Phoenix-led My Own Private Idaho. The ambition of the film is startling and greatly pays off. Loosely based on Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1, Henry IV, Part 2 and Henry V, the film follows Mike and Scott, two friends who are street hustlers, one of whom is also a narcoleptic and in love with the other. At its heart it’s a doomed love story, one that’s painted in vibrancy, yellows, reds, and oranges, and about a young man looking for comfort. Phoenix is captivating as Mike, silent in his sadness, and Keanu Reeves as Scott delivers the best performance of his career.
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