My Own Private Idaho

An American independent adventure drama film from 1991, directed by Gus Van Sant. The plot follows two young men, Mike Waters (River Phoenix) and Scott Favor (Keanu Reeves), who make a living through male prostitution in Portland, Oregon. Mike suffers from narcolepsy—a condition causing sudden sleep attacks—and is obsessed with finding his mother, who abandoned him during his childhood. Scott is the son of Portland's wealthy mayor, rebelling against his father's authority and social status, intending to forsake his street life upon inheriting his fortune. The film begins with Mike falling asleep on a deserted road, contemplating the nature of time and his loneliness. A client picks him up, and after providing services, Mike meets up with Scott and other hustlers in an abandoned building. Mike and Scott decide to travel to Idaho to find Mike's mother. Along the way, they encounter various individuals, including a wealthy wanderer named Hans (Udo Kier), who offers them work. In Idaho, they find a house where Mike's mother supposedly lived but learn that she has gone to Italy. Mike and Scott travel to Rome, where Mike hopes to find his mother, and Scott falls in love with an Italian woman named Carmela (Chiara Caselli). In Italy, Mike learns that his mother has returned to the USA. Scott decides to stay with Carmela, leaving Mike alone. Returning to Portland, Mike continues his life on the streets. Scott, having inherited his father's fortune, renounces his past and starts anew. The film concludes with Mike once again falling asleep on the road, and unknown individuals steal his belongings, leaving him defenseless. The picture explores themes of friendship, betrayal, the search for identity and home, and portrays the complex relationships between characters against the backdrop of their marginal existence.