My Own Private Idaho
Directed by Gus Van Sant · 1991 ·
My Own Private Idaho (1991) earns a 77% Celluloid Score — Recommended. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.
Calculated from 4 available inputs: Celluloid editorial rating, Metascore, Letterboxd and IMDb. Audience sentiment is shown separately and never changes the composite. See how we calculate scores.
4-input transparent breakdown
Theatrical release Where to watch
Streaming availability varies by region — currently on HBO Max in the United Kingdom. Check local listings for your region.
Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home
Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home
Why this score?
- Celluloid's editorial rating is positive (82/100).
- General viewers mostly liked it (80%).
- Metascore is generally favorable (77/100).
- Celluloid Score 77% combines 4 verified rating inputs; audience sentiment is shown separately.
Best for
- Viewers who want a well-regarded drama pick
- Short runtime — easy weeknight watch
Not ideal for
Scores reflect data indexed at build time. Component sources are shown on this page; Celluloid Score is our composite, not a third-party trademark. Scoring policy
Streaming availability, artwork and title metadata courtesy of TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.
Is My Own Private Idaho worth watching?
Yes — My Own Private Idaho earns a 77% Celluloid Score. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.
Celluloid Verdict
Van Sant’s street-hustler Shakespeare — Reeves opposite River Phoenix in an American indie landmark.
Celluloid editorial verdict
Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.
What is My Own Private Idaho about?
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.
Watch the Trailer
My Own Private Idaho stills
Official production imagery supplied through TMDB, kept with the movie instead of split into a thin gallery page.
Images courtesy of TMDB. TMDB does not endorse or certify Celluloid.
Reader takes
No reader takes published yet — be the first helpful voice.
More Like This
Ranked by genre overlap and Celluloid Score — full movies like My Own Private Idaho page.
