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Trailer

My Own Private Idaho

1991Movie1 h 44 minR

Drama
75
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb6.9Metacritic777.4Rotten Tomatoes79%80%

A deeply moving, profoundly sad drama movie about growing up and the mind, with standout performances and characters.

Good for friends night · thought-provoking · adults

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for warmth, comfort or scares.

Movies with

Story

Wherever, whatever, have a nice day.

In this loose adaptation of Shakespeare's "Henry IV," Mike Waters is a hustler afflicted with narcolepsy. Scott Favor is the rebellious son of a mayor. Together, the two travel from Portland, Oregon to Idaho and finally to the coast of Italy in a quest to find Mike's estranged mother. Along the way they turn tricks for money and drugs, eventually attracting the attention of a wealthy benefactor and sexual deviant.

Feels like

  • Poignant Road Movie
  • Raw Character Study
  • Queer Cinema
  • Existential Drama
  • Social Realism
  • Melancholy & Pathos
  • Shakespearean Adaptation
  • Coming-of-Age Struggle
  • Cult Classic

Cast

19 of 19

Crew

Directed by
Gus Van Sant
Written by
Gus Van Sant
Produced by
Laurie Parker
Music by
Bill Stafford

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

February 1, 1991 · 1 h 44 min · R

Released
February 1, 1991
Runtime
1 h 44 min
Age rating
R
Content
Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Drug Use
Genres
Drama
Original language
English
Also spoken
Italian, German
Made in
United States
Budget
$3 million
Box office
$6 million
Available in
50 countries

Tropes

Cheerful Funeral, Depraved Homosexual, Double Entendre +9

  • Cheerful Funeral
  • Depraved Homosexual
  • Double Entendre
  • Downer Ending
  • Face–Heel Turn
  • Incompatible Orientation
  • Titled After the Song
  • Living MacGuffin
  • Parental Incest
  • The Twink
  • Road Trip Plot
  • Pietà Plagiarism

12 of 13 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

4 questions, like "Where can I stream My Own Private Idaho?"

Questions about My Own Private Idaho

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream My Own Private Idaho?

In the United States, you can rent or buy My Own Private Idaho from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, and Microsoft Store. It streams in 32 other countries, but not in the United States.

Is My Own Private Idaho worth watching?

75
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 75 (IMDb 6.9, Rotten Tomatoes 79%, and Metacritic 77).

Is My Own Private Idaho plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and pathos (9 of 10) more than on its plot.

Will I feel good after watching My Own Private Idaho?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 9 of 10 for melancholy and 8 for bleakness, against 2 for hopefulness.