Friday, August 01, 2008
My Own Private Idaho
This is a movie I’ve always liked and I’ve watched my VHS copy of it repeatedly. It is therefore with some embarrassment that I must admit that it was not until I read a series on Movie Adaptations of William Shakespeare on Rotton Tomatoes that I realized the connection. It was this discovery that led me to get it out and watch it once again. Let it be said that watching Keanu Reeves woodenly declaim his lines is not one of the atttactions of this piece. It is River Pheonix who owns the movie and his narcoleptic scenes eerily foreshadow his eventual death by drug overdose just two years later.
River Jude Bottom was the oldest son of what could best be described as flower children. Itinerant farm workers, cult members, who exploited their children to make ends meet they are no one’s idea of ideal parents. Who names there children: Rain, Summer, Liberty, Trust? With this kind of family background River Phoenix hit Hollywood at the age of 12 with his impoverished parents encouragement. Small wonder that without anything to keep him grounded the “scene” got the better of him. I cannot watch his movies without a sense of sadness at the body of great works that is lost to us due to his untimely death.
A gay themed movie with an openly gay director about street people who sell themselves to make a living this is not a movie that will appeal to the squeamish. Shot in Portland Oregon with cameos by many locals some of the actors stayed in the director’s own home. This is a buddy, road trip movie which never seems to decide what it wants to do. The plot is as confused as the characters who play in it and there are some priceless characters. In particular is the ancient den mother of the flophouse they so often frequent. Like most road movies this piece is about the journey, getting there is not the point. However confused it leaves me this is still a journey I seem to enjoy.
River Jude Bottom was the oldest son of what could best be described as flower children. Itinerant farm workers, cult members, who exploited their children to make ends meet they are no one’s idea of ideal parents. Who names there children: Rain, Summer, Liberty, Trust? With this kind of family background River Phoenix hit Hollywood at the age of 12 with his impoverished parents encouragement. Small wonder that without anything to keep him grounded the “scene” got the better of him. I cannot watch his movies without a sense of sadness at the body of great works that is lost to us due to his untimely death.
A gay themed movie with an openly gay director about street people who sell themselves to make a living this is not a movie that will appeal to the squeamish. Shot in Portland Oregon with cameos by many locals some of the actors stayed in the director’s own home. This is a buddy, road trip movie which never seems to decide what it wants to do. The plot is as confused as the characters who play in it and there are some priceless characters. In particular is the ancient den mother of the flophouse they so often frequent. Like most road movies this piece is about the journey, getting there is not the point. However confused it leaves me this is still a journey I seem to enjoy.
# posted by garthmailman@gmail.com @ 8:45 am 
