Reality Bites

Starring:Joe Don Baker, Bill Bolender, Helen Childress, Barry Del Sherman, Janeane Garofalo, Marti Greene, Ethan Hawke, Swoosie Kurtz, Chelsea Lagos, John Mahoney, Susan Norfleet, Harry O'Reilly, Jubal Palmer, James Rothenberg, Winona Ryder, Eric Morgan Stuart, John Walsh (III), Steve Zahn, RenÃ©e Zellweger
Studio: Universal Studios
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Ben Stiller's directorial debut was this sporadically successful twentysomething comedy that tries too hard to codify the generational experience of its young adult characters. Winona Ryder plays a still-unformed woman struggling with career and relationship issues, Janeane Garofalo portrays her best friend, and Ethan Hawke and Stiller play the two lovers pursuing her. The story is as also about generation-X confusion over how to get by in a hand-me-down world with not much to get excited about, a world filled with a pop culture currency of bad music and poetry slams. The film's chief strength is its appealing cast, which is bolstered by appearances from David Spade, Renee Zellweger, Kevin Pollak, Jeanne Triplehorn, and Stiller's mother, Anne Meara. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

An honest look at a drifting generation.......2007-06-16

The opening speech by Lelaina (Winona Ryder) at the beginning sets an accurate mood for the rest of the film: optimism tinged with confusion and a lack of direction. In reality, the young adults in this film depict only a small slice of their generation, those who "aren't interested in the counterculture that they [our parents] invented as if we did not see them disembowel their revolution for a pair of running shoes." I may be a few years behind the generation portrayed in the film, but I'm not entirely without empathy for the restless plight of this group of slackers. Even so, the speech is a horrible oversimplification of the generation gap of the time, and the film is more easily digested if the core group of characters is seen as only one slice of a very large generation.

There is a lot of similarity between Reality Bites and films like Garden State and Harold and Maude, sharing the same ennui and restlessness that seems insatiable and overwhelming. The striking difference, though, is Reality Bites' strong sense of friendship and community as a means of overcoming this ennui. I felt that if any of these characters were left entirely to himself, he would commit suicide, and the core group of friends is what saved them all.

Unfortunately, their friendships are not enough to keep them from slipping into a dangerous selfishness and narcissism: Lelaina refuses for a while to find a paying job, and only seems to be attracted to Troy (Ethan Hawke) because of the emotions he conjures up in her; Troy, even after saying that she is the only woman he could commit to, says, "You can't navigate me, I might do mean things, and I might hurt you and I might run away without your permission"; Vickie (Janeane Garofalo) is addicted to sex but hates the thought of a lasting relationship; and Sammy (Steve Zahn) is full of wounded pride. Michael (Ben Stiller) is intellectually shallow, but he seems to be the only person with any emotional maturity, and he easily sees through Troy's snobby attitude.

ENDING SPOILERS: The film ends with a romance between Lelaina and Troy that seems destined to end badly if Troy doesn't wise up and accept the criticism that's been levelled at him. There's a part of me that cheered for him, but a larger part that wanted to smack him in the face until he wised up and applied for grad school. The problem with these kids is that they are immature, and have no ideal of maturity to attain to. Their parents (of the rebellious 60s generation) rejected their own parents' ideas of maturity, and so their own children have very little left to work with. Reality Bites is more of a romantic tragedy than a romantic comedy, even though it seems to turn out well in the end. I really wanted the characters to find something better to build their lives on, but when the credits rolled I was afraid they would just keep repeating their mistakes for the rest of their lives.

For what it's worth, the acting and directing are quite good, though not great. I got a kick out of seeing so many big-name actors at a younger age. Ben Stiller's direction is good, and not as manic as what he later did in Zoolander. Unfortunately there aren't any special features except production notes and a forgettable trailer.

Ah, youth!.......2007-03-31

As I would imagine is the case for many post-boomers like myself, this film brings back memories, including those wistful thoughts that there's nothing wrong with my generation that a savage beating wouldn't cure.

BIG GULP, GO TO 7-ELEVEN AND GET YOURSELF A BIG GULP!.......2006-08-22

College Grads, Mininum Wage, The Gap, Slackers, Roommates, Disco,Friends with Benefits, Health Clinic, My Sharona (80's song), Spoofing "The Real World"and MTV, Chain Smoking,and Your Gas Card. Everything 90's, and Generation " Slacker" X, need a course this is your lesson, typical Hollywood ending of course, but nothing short of perfect of an unperfect time with low spectations of a generation. JEANNE GARAFALO HILARIOUS, "I am Hungry". (conversation assumes)Lets Order Pizza. I Dont Have Cash. I can write a check. Oh Wait. ( Ryder holds up a gas card) Garafolo replies, Gas we are going to eat gas.

Whiny Slackers Poke Reality With Stick - Reality Bites Back.......2006-08-11

Reality Bites seemed fresh when it was first released, giving voice to a generation - with the unfortunately derogative soubriquet of "X" - that was overeducated, underemployed, plagued by the flashy, trashy commercialism of MTV, and stunningly superficial in its wholehearted embrace of pop culture and rejection of serious moral or philosophical discourse it might have stumbled across in college.

It was a good start because transitioning from the idyllic and unreal world of college to the crass, cruel arena of materialism can be tough, providing limitless opportunities for challenge and personal growth - the very stuff of real movies. Instead we have a swan dive into a Pizza Hut commercial held together by a plot so shop-worn it would have been considered exhausted in 1930.

Winona Ryder is winning as Lelaina, but one can only imagine the SATs of football players at a college where she is valedictorian. Her "documentary" is appallingly narcissistic, reflecting the characteristic Gen X notion that - "if it's about me, it's art, and it's important." Ethan Hawke does an excellent job as Troy, the very archetype of self-satisfied, supercilious entitlement. We are expected to root for him, but it's hard to refrain from hoping he gets hit by a bus.

Stiller, who directed - a talented fellow almost impossible to look at - plays Michael, the "anti-Troy." Smooth, successful, and very much plugged into the contemporary franchising of Gen X culture - if culture is the right word - he's an executive at an MTV-ish corporation. That he improves Lelaina's preposterous "documentary," rather than destroying its alleged artistic integrity, is the film's dirty little secret.

Viewers surprised by who wins Lelaina's hand will also be stunned to learn that professional wrestling is fixed and Liberace was gay. Indeed, when you strip away the thin veneer of pop culture references this is really a very traditional movie. Janeane Garofalo is outstanding as always, and John Mahoney shines as the TV morning chat show host who looks sweet and avuncular on camera but is in fact, a bastard. His performance says more about the likelihood of finding anything even remotely resembling reality in film - or on TV - than the rest of this film put together.

In fact, reality is great, this picture would have benefited from some.

Excelente!!!.......2006-07-10

Esta es un clasico de mi generación. Muy buena pelicula, excelentes actores y un soundtrack increible. La recomiendo totalmente!!

Average customer rating:

An honest look at a drifting generation
Ah, youth!
BIG GULP, GO TO 7-ELEVEN AND GET YOURSELF A BIG GULP!
Whiny Slackers Poke Reality With Stick - Reality Bites Back
Excelente!!!

Reality Bites
Starring: Joe Don Baker , Bill Bolender , Helen Childress , Barry Del Sherman , and Janeane Garofalo
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: 0783227922
Release Date: 1998-07-22

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

An honest look at a drifting generation.......2007-06-16

Ah, youth!.......2007-03-31

BIG GULP, GO TO 7-ELEVEN AND GET YOURSELF A BIG GULP!.......2006-08-22

Whiny Slackers Poke Reality With Stick - Reality Bites Back.......2006-08-11

Excelente!!!.......2006-07-10

Esta es un clasico de mi generación. Muy buena pelicula, excelentes actores y un soundtrack increible. La recomiendo totalmente!!

Ben Stiller Collection (Meet the Parents - Special Edition/Mystery Men/Reality Bites/Along Came Polly)

Average customer rating:

Ben Stiller Collection (Meet the Parents - Special Edition/Mystery Men/Reality Bites/Along Came Polly)
Starring: Ben Stiller
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

Comedy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00049QLV4
Release Date: 2004-12-14

Average customer rating:

Along Came Polly/Reality Bites
Starring: Joe Don Baker , Bill Bolender , Helen Childress , Barry Del Sherman , and Janeane Garofalo
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video