My Own Private Idaho in Lakewood

We know what you’re thinking: It’s been too long since you’ve seen an indie flick, loosely based on Shakespeare’s Henry IV, about two male prostitutes who roam the streets of Portland. So head on over to Lakewood Public Library tonight at 6 for a free screening of Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho. Generally considered to be one of Van Sant’s best, the 1991 flick is all about desperation, unrequited love, self-discovery, and narcolepsy — rolled up inside the tasty device of a road trip. Starring River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves, the film follows the hustlers’ journey from Portland through Idaho, and finally to Italy. Needless to say: Conflict ensues. The fact that it’s roughly based on Shakespeare may seem a bit odd, but it remains “very poetic in its way,” according to Lakewood Art House Cinema programmer Leana Donofrio. Plus, there’s this: Flea, a founding member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, provides the movie with some degree of comic relief, inhabiting what Donofrio calls a “really funny and amazing character.” So bring some popcorn, bring a friend, but maybe leave the kids at home: As you might have guessed, it’s rated R.