This is the story of two young hustlers and best friends, Mike and Scott (played by River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves [of all people]) living in Portland, Oregon. They seem ambitionless, just selling themselves for cash to get by on. However, this is not entirely the case. Mike's life goes by like a dream, due mostly to his extreme case of narcolepsy. He always dreams about the same things; his long lost mother, and his home state of Idaho. It's his goal to reunite himself with his mother. This thought and his relationship with Scott are the only things that keep him going. Scott is a whole 'nother story. He comes from a very wealthy and privileged family. He is living this way by choice until his 20th birthday, when he is to inherit a portion of his father's fortune. He wants to show his family that he can become a changed man and hopefully rise to their long held expectations of him.
The week before Scott inherits his fortune, he and Mike embark on a journey of epic proportions. They go out in search of Mike's mother. They search in Idaho, where Mike's brother Richard still lives. They stay with him and as the night wears on, we discover something pretty shattering: Richard is not only Mike's brother, he's his dad as well. Their mother was very mentally ill, which lead to the boys being separated from her at a young age. This illness probably lives on a bit in both of them. They visit Mike's mother's last known place of employment, where they are told she moved to Italy the year before. When they arrive at her address in Italy, they are told by the beautiful young lady that lives there that Mike's mother is long gone, back to Idaho.
Rather than leave straight for the States, Scott decides to stick around and bang this Italian chick for a few days. They 'fall in love', and leave Mike behind to go back to America so that Scott can marry her and become the man his parents always wanted him to be. If you already think that Scott is an asshole, let me just add that only the night before, Mike declared his love for Scott, and presumably (although arguable), they have sex. Poor Mike eventually makes it back to America, where he runs into Scott one night. Scott is all slick and smooth, a real GQ cover kinda guy, with a new set of rich friends. When approached by a group of his old hustler friends, he turns his back on them. He merely used them, in some sick way, to gain some sort of life experience before diving head-first into a life of money, power, and success. Mike returns to Idaho, and what happens next is anyone's guess, as the ending is left open to interpretation. Apparently there is an alternate ending which shows Mike's brother-dad picking him up. I don't really know what to think of that, seems too sugary.
Jon swore I would hate this movie. I don't know why, I am very familiar with Van Sant's work, I know the pace at which his films normally go. This is an adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry IV Pt. 1 and 2 and Henry V. I thought that the Shakespearean dialogue and delivery of it was perfect. Some people say it was annoying, or didn't blend well, but I think it added to the dream-like quality of the film. River Phoenix's performance was incredible. I wish the same could be said for Keanu Reeves. (I really hate that guy.) Although I found this film on the brink of pretension a few times, I really think it is worth watching. The cinematography is gorgeous. The lonely roads of Idaho never looked so good. I think Van Sant is a brilliant filmmaker, and I very much look forward to his upcoming Harvey Milk biopic.
Best Line: "I love you, and you don't pay me."
Grade: A-
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