Idaho... Still messes me up, in a good way

Okay, so I just finished another rewatch of My Own Private Idaho (I swear I've seen it like 10 times at least), and it still gets to me. Maybe it's River Phoenix - his performance is just so raw and vulnerable. But even beyond that, the film just feels so real, you know? It’s like a time capsule of a very specific kind of lost youth. This time, what really hit me was the scene where Mike is confessing his feelings to Scott around the campfire. The overlapping dialogue, the way River delivers those lines... it's heartbreaking because you know Scott isn't feeling the same. And the way Gus Van Sant uses the dissolves to layer in the imagery of the magazines... It's just visual poetry! I also noticed something kinda messed up – how often Mike says he'd do anything for Scott? It makes Scott's eventual rejection even tougher to watch, damn it! I honestly don't know if I've ever seen a more realistic film that shows the dynamics of obsession and one-sided love. I will say, the whole Shakespeare thread still kinda throws me. I appreciate it intellectually, but sometimes I feel like it clashes a bit with the grittiness of the street scenes. Like, I get the whole Falstaff parallel with Bob, but it's a lot, you know? Still, it's such a bold choice, and I kinda love that Van Sant just went for it. Anyone else feel like this movie just sticks with you? What are your favorite moments or details? I'm always looking to hear new perspectives.