Reality Bites
A Comedy About Love In The '90's.
As her college valedictorian, Lelaina Pierce (Ryder) should be destined for greatness. In reality she is a lowly production assistant for an obnoxious TV morning show host. In her free time, Lelaina is making a biting, often outrageous video documentary about her peers: promiscuous, '70's-crazed roommate Vicki (Garafalo), sexually repressed Sammy (Zahn) and best friend Troy (Hawke), a brilliant but unmotivated rebel.
Meanwhile, Lelaina meets Michael (Stiller), an ambitious video executive who wants to showcase her documentary on "In Your Face TV." Suddenly, she finds herself at the center of a very odd love triangle with dependable, fast-track Michael on the one side and a sexy, brooding Troy on the other.
Member Reviews
has its charms - clauditorium
When I first saw this, I was about the same age as the main characters. That probably explains why I liked it so much. And why, about thirteen years later, I relate more to the adults. This turns out to be a bit of a handicap, because the movie paints them as caricatures. Reality Bites still has its charms, though. The actors inhabit their characters well. Janeane Garofalo's dry sense of humour never gets old. Ben Stiller hadn't yet begun starring in unfunny blockbuster comedies, and he actually plays a real person here. And the script does contain a few truths about modern post-graduate malaise, and one painfully accurate jab at MTV. On the downside, it also contains one of those cliché "spontaneous joyous dancing" scenes (in this case set to "My Sharona").So Many Funny Stars So Much mid-90s Drama - KevinJaques
I was sure this would be a great comedy, with very early Ben Stiller, Janeane Garafalo, Andy Dick, David Spade (though uncredited), Renee Zellweger (just a walk-on!), and with Ben Stiller directing. Nope.
It's all drama, though that wasn't bad, and it had some sly bits. For instance, the video producer heroine goes for a print journalist job. After BS'ing badly about the importance of words, she is asked to define irony. She can only say she knows it when she sees it. Cause she does visual stuff, get it?
Also, her beloved film is crassly repackaged as 'Reality Bites', which is both the point and name of the movie and a some accurate self-deprecation. The real 'Reality Bites' is also in love with slackness, but also obviously crafted to make lots of money and success.
As an 80s guy, I was not happy when the sincere and loving 80s guy (Stiller) is abandoned for the 90s guy (Ethan Hawke), apparently for his powers of slacking.
But it helps if you like constant close-ups of pretty girls (Ryder) or boys (Hawke).A great look at the Generation-X culture of the '90s. - estefan
With a smart script, funny performances and a style that firmly plants this in the 1990's, it's hard for me to dislike Reality Bites, probably Ben Stiller's best film in his directing resume (not that it's hard to do so, as Tropic Thunder is is one other good flick). Winona Ryder and Janeane Garofalo give the best performances in this, though Steve Zahn, Ethan Hawke and Ben Stiller also do equally fine work. There are plenty of funny, thoughtful lines that also make this more than just your typical Generation-X romantic comedy. Overall, it's a pleasing experience and one that makes me miss the 90s even more (if that's possible).
Member Reviews
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has its charms - clauditorium
When I first saw this, I was about the same age as the main characters. That probably explains why I liked it so much. And why, about thirteen years later, I relate more to the adults. This turns out to be a bit of a handicap, because the movie paints them ...So Many Funny Stars So Much mid-90s Drama - KevinJaques
I was sure this would be a great comedy, with very early Ben Stiller, Janeane Garafalo, Andy Dick, David Spade (though uncredited), Renee Zellweger (just a walk-on!), and with Ben Stiller directing. Nope.
It's all drama, though that wasn't bad, and ...A great look at the Generation-X culture of the '90s. - estefan
With a smart script, funny performances and a style that firmly plants this in the 1990's, it's hard for me to dislike Reality Bites, probably Ben Stiller's best film in his directing resume (not that it's hard to do so, as Tropic Thunder is is one other good ...