Where to watch
Each link opens a search on that service. Checked 13 October 2026.
Streaming data from JustWatch
My Own Private Idaho
1991
· Movie
· 104 min
B
MEANRANK
74/100
Where it ranks
- Mean Score #1624
- IMDb #2455
- Google retired #1295
- Rotten Tomatoes #1674
- Metacritic #998
- Letterboxd #980
+8 more
- Rotten Tomatoes Critics #2136
- Rotten Tomatoes Audience #1657
- Metacritic Critics #889
- Metacritic Audience #1434
- Criticker #1063
- Kinopoisk #2337
- AlloCiné #2371
- Trakt #2473
Every rating
57–90
out of 100
Two young friends work as street hustlers in the Pacific Northwest. One is a narcoleptic who searches for his estranged mother, driven by a deep longing for home and connection. The other is the rebellious son of a mayor, rebelling against his privileged future. They embark on a drifting, sometimes surreal journey together, exploring themes of love, friendship, and their search for identity and a place to belong.
Details
- Director
- Gus Van Sant
- Writer
- Gus Van Sant
- Based on
- Henry V by William Shakespeare
- Studio
- New Line Cinema, Fine Line Features
- Released
- 1 February 1991
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English, Italian, German
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rated
- R
- Budget
- $2.5M
- Box office
- $6.4M
- Awards
- 9 wins, 4 nominations
This title elsewhere
Cast
Full cast (50) →Awards & nominations
See all 13 →5 major awards won · 9 wins from 13 nominations across 6 ceremonies
| Producers Guild of America Awards 1993 | Most Promising Producer in Theatrical Motion Pictures | Laurie Parker | Winner |
| Independent Spirit Awards 1992 | Best Film Music | Bill Stafford | Winner |
| Independent Spirit Awards 1992 | Best Male Lead | River Phoenix | Winner |
| Independent Spirit Awards 1992 | Best Screenplay | Gus Van Sant | Winner |
| Venice Film Festival 1991 | Volpi Cup for Best Actor | River Phoenix | Winner |
| Independent Spirit Awards 1992 | Best Feature | My Own Private Idaho | Nominee |
| Independent Spirit Awards 1992 | Best Cinematography | Eric Alan Edwards and John J. Campbell | Nominee |
| Independent Spirit Awards 1992 | Best Director | Gus Van Sant | Nominee |
Awards from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
More like this
Beyond the numbers
All lists →Just released
See all →Coming soon
Trailer — My Own Private Idaho
×Full cast — My Own Private Idaho
×13 awards — My Own Private Idaho
×
Independent Spirit Awards
6 nominations, 3 won
| Best Film Music | Bill Stafford | Winner |
| Best Male Lead | River Phoenix | Winner |
| Best Screenplay | Gus Van Sant | Winner |
| Best Cinematography | Eric Alan Edwards and John J. Campbell | Nominee |
| Best Director | Gus Van Sant | Nominee |
| Best Feature | My Own Private Idaho | Nominee |
Venice Film Festival
2 nominations, 1 won
| Volpi Cup for Best Actor | River Phoenix | Winner |
| Golden Lion | My Own Private Idaho | Nominee |
Producers Guild of America Awards
1 nomination, 1 won
| Most Promising Producer in Theatrical Motion Pictures | Laurie Parker | Winner |
Deauville Film Festival
2 nominations, 2 won
| Coup de Coeur LTC | My Own Private Idaho | Winner |
| Critics Award | My Own Private Idaho | Winner |
National Society of Film Critics Awards
1 nomination, 1 won
| Best Actor | River Phoenix | Winner |
Toronto International Film Festival
1 nomination, 1 won
| International Critics' Award | My Own Private Idaho | Winner |