Reality Bites

Reality Bites
File:RealityBites.png Reality Bites DVD cover
Directed by	Ben Stiller
Written by	Helen Childress
Produced by	Jersey Films
Starring	Winona Ryder Ben Stiller Ethan Hawke Janeane Garofalo Steve Zahn
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release dates	February 18, 1994 (USA)
Running time	99 min.
Language	English

Reality Bites is a 1994 film written by Helen Childress and featuring the directorial debut of Ben Stiller. It stars Stiller, Winona Ryder, and Ethan Hawke, with major supporting roles played by Janeane Garofalo and Steve Zahn. The film was shot on location in Austin, and Houston, Texas.

The plot is centered around Lelaina (played by Ryder), an aspiring videographer working on a documentary called Reality Bites about the disenfranchised lives of her friends and roommates (played by Hawke, Garofalo, and Zahn), and to a certain degree, about Lelaina herself. Their challenges, both documented and not, exemplify some of the career and lifestyle choices faced by Generation X.

Plot

Long-time friend, temporary roommate and angry starving artist Troy Dyer (played by Hawke and based on an actual schoolmate of screenwriter Helen Childress) and his love interest, Lelaina Pierce (played by Ryder) are attracted to each other, though it's an attraction that neither of them has really acted upon as the film begins, one alcohol-influenced event in the past notwithstanding. He's a slacker and nihilist grunge rock musician by night, while losing job after job in a series of minimum wage dead end endeavors during the day --the last of which he loses early in the film because of stealing a candy bar from his employer. Troy's father, who is never seen onscreen, is dying of prostate cancer; this prompts Troy to remain close with his father when he can.

Lelaina meets Michael (played by Stiller) in what filmmakers call a meet cute scene: in an act of derision, she throws a cigarette into his convertible, causing him to crash into her car. The two soon begin to date. He works at an MTV-like cable channel as an executive, and after learning about her documentary, he wants to get it aired on his network.

The film follows Lelaina as she struggles with her career and is forced to figure out whether it is Michael or Troy she wants.

Lelaina's roommate Vickie (played by Garofalo) has a series of one-night stands and short relationships with dozens of guys, motivated by a fear of being alone compounded by a fear of rejection; her promiscuity leads her to confront a very-real risk of contracting AIDS. Vickie works as a store manager for the The Gap, a job she was initially reluctant to take, but found that she had a talent for management.

Friend Sammy (played by Zahn) is gay; he remains celibate, not because of a fear of AIDS, but because forming a relationship would force him to come out to his conservative parents.

The cast also includes Swoosie Kurtz and Joe Don Baker as Lelaina's divorced parents, and John Mahoney as a loathsome boss she quickly learns to despise. The film includes cameo appearances from Renée Zellweger, Harry O'Reilly, Andy Dick, David Spade, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Dave Pirner, and Stiller's mother Anne Meara.

Reality Bites is set in Houston, Texas (where the screenwriter's high school is located).

Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack includes songs by World Party, Squeeze, The Knack ("My Sharona" featured prominently in one scene from the film), Juliana Hatfield, Social Distortion, and two contributions from Crowded House ("Locked Out" & "Something So Strong") in addition to the runaway hit "Stay (I Missed You)" by Lisa Loeb, which earned Loeb the distinction of being the only artist to top the Hot 100 before being signed to any record label.. It also includes "Conjunction Junction" from Schoolhouse Rock!, another song brought into the foreground of a film full of pop culture references.

Track listing

1. "My Sharona" - The Knack
2. "Spin The Bottle" - Juliana Hatfield Three
3. "Bed Of Roses" - The Indians
4. "When You Come Back To Me" - World Party
5. "Going, Going, Gone" - The Posies
6. "Stay" - Lisa Leob & Nine Stories
7. "All I Want Is You" - U2
8. "Locked Out" - Crowded House
9. "Spinning Around Over" - Lenny Kravitz
10. "I'm Nuthin'" - Ethan Hawke
11. "Turnip Farm" - Dinosaur Jr.
12. "Revival" - Me Phi Me
13. "Tempted" - Squeeze
14. "Baby I Love Your Way" - Big Mountain

References

• The film's title was spoofed in The Simpsons episode, Realty Bites.

See also

• the term Irony

• Singles and Slacker, two slightly earlier films with similar themes and less of a Hollywood treatment
• S.F.W. (1994)

External links

• Reality Bites at IMDb