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Special Features
- New to this edition:
- Remastered print with commentary by director-actor Ben Stiller and writer Helen Childress
- Deleted scenes with introduction
- A retrospective with new interviews
- Lisa Loeb interview and her music video "Stay"
Editorial Reviews
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
Product Description
Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke, Ben Stiller. A funny, poignant look at life after college for a young woman and her group of friends as they try to survive dead-end careers, sex in the age of AIDS, romance and friendship. 1993/color/99 min/PG-13.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I think that `Reality Bites' has been unfairly labeled as thin and hollow. I actually feel as though the film tackles its issues with grace and delicacy, handling the subject in a way that feels complete when the credits begin to roll. The film was never meant to be a weighty message type film but more a relaxed look at real concerns of the youths of the 90's (or `Generation X'). For what it sets out to do, I think `Reality Bites' works very well. When you couple the finely crafted script with the exceptional cast and Ben Stiller's surprisingly attune direction you have a very entertaining and satisfying cinematic experience.
The film follows a group of friends after they graduate from college and struggle to decide what to do with their lives. Their lives in general are being documented by Lelaina, an aspiring filmmaker. She passes around her video camera asking her friends intimate questions and capturing their every moment on film in order to document the struggles of the average young adult. Her friends include the promiscuous Vickie (Garofalo in a sublime supporting performance), the slacker Troy and the closeted Sammy. Together they make for an interesting group, and when you add in Michael Grates, a video executive who takes a liking to Lelaina after a fender-bender causes them to meet.
The script allows the cast to really sink into the issues their breed of young adult faces in a world that is not ready to accept them despite the fact that they are finely crafted. They are over-educated and under-appreciated and cast into a world that doesn't `get' them. Each actor really grabs hold of their character and delivers a strong and passionate performance. Janeane Garofalo is wonderful as Vickie, really getting the sense of her characters fears and ambitions. Steve Zahn is good as Sammy, but he does take a backseat to the rest of the cast. Ethan Hawke and Ben Stiller are both superbly cast as the two opposite ends of Lelaina's love life. Hawke creates a very believable mess inside of Troy, and Stiller finds new depths of sincerity in order to make Michael a likable and nearly lovable man. The real star is Winona Ryder though, who just illuminates each scene as Lelaina. She had such a wonderful year (with this and her Oscar nominated turn in `Little Women') that it is a shame to see that her star has faded to date.
In the end I must say that I was very impressed with `Reality Bites', and am pleasantly surprised to say that it is one of the hidden (or maybe more or less misunderstood) gems of the year that was 1994. Sure, the year in general was not overly impressive (aside from a few amazing films it was rather dull), but `Reality Bites' is one of the highlights of the year, and is definitely better than the film that ultimately won Best Picture (don't hate me because I'm right).
The film follows a group of friends after they graduate from college and struggle to decide what to do with their lives. Their lives in general are being documented by Lelaina, an aspiring filmmaker. She passes around her video camera asking her friends intimate questions and capturing their every moment on film in order to document the struggles of the average young adult. Her friends include the promiscuous Vickie (Garofalo in a sublime supporting performance), the slacker Troy and the closeted Sammy. Together they make for an interesting group, and when you add in Michael Grates, a video executive who takes a liking to Lelaina after a fender-bender causes them to meet.
The script allows the cast to really sink into the issues their breed of young adult faces in a world that is not ready to accept them despite the fact that they are finely crafted. They are over-educated and under-appreciated and cast into a world that doesn't `get' them. Each actor really grabs hold of their character and delivers a strong and passionate performance. Janeane Garofalo is wonderful as Vickie, really getting the sense of her characters fears and ambitions. Steve Zahn is good as Sammy, but he does take a backseat to the rest of the cast. Ethan Hawke and Ben Stiller are both superbly cast as the two opposite ends of Lelaina's love life. Hawke creates a very believable mess inside of Troy, and Stiller finds new depths of sincerity in order to make Michael a likable and nearly lovable man. The real star is Winona Ryder though, who just illuminates each scene as Lelaina. She had such a wonderful year (with this and her Oscar nominated turn in `Little Women') that it is a shame to see that her star has faded to date.
In the end I must say that I was very impressed with `Reality Bites', and am pleasantly surprised to say that it is one of the hidden (or maybe more or less misunderstood) gems of the year that was 1994. Sure, the year in general was not overly impressive (aside from a few amazing films it was rather dull), but `Reality Bites' is one of the highlights of the year, and is definitely better than the film that ultimately won Best Picture (don't hate me because I'm right).
13 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By Emcee Hamner
Format:DVD
This movie changed my life. How? The books that the character 'Troy' (Ethan Hawke) either reads or references in the movie. Sure, it's a great movie but what meant the most for me was the director's or writer's (or whoever it was) choice to use or reference the following books: Martin Heidegger's "Being and Time", Robert Pirsig's "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" and John Steinbeck's "The Winter of Our Discontent". Read those books and you will be forever changed!
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By JC Good Time
Format:DVD
I LOVE this movie. Its definitely one of my favorite go-to movies, although I don't think it was/is a very popular one. Maybe I like it because I'm a girl, (my husband doesn't really like it, but loves Ben Stiller so I made him watch it) but I think both sexes would be entertained by it. A perfect, early 90's-era flick about the lives of young 20-somethings. I think it has a really good cast of characters and is very entertaining!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
film touches a generation...
everything should see this. wonderfully diverse soundtrack, always in play in on form or another in my home....ok yes buy
Published 3 months ago by Menotyou
1.0 out of 5 stars
Reality Bites..
I always thought actors and actresses tend to in some way play the people they really are in actual life on screen and unfortunately i really believe this is who Ethan Hawke and... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Jared J
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
Even though the movie is old, it still applies today. Great combination of actors and actresses.It is worth watching because the actors and actresses work well together..
Published 6 months ago by Margo Norfus
2.0 out of 5 stars
Reality Bites
I remember this movie being sooo much better! What a bummer to watch it now and think the characters are not all that great. I also own Singles, which is a 90s staple in my book. Read more
Published 7 months ago by holly schumacher
5.0 out of 5 stars
90's flashback
I don't care what anyone says- I LOVE this movie! It brings back so many memories from the 90's- music, clothes, atmosphere. For those things alone, I recommend watching it.
Published 11 months ago by B. Martin
1.0 out of 5 stars
Waste of Time
If you like movies about self-indulgant young adults, enjoy. As far as I'm concerned, this film had no redeeming value and sent the wrong message to young viewers.
Published 16 months ago by Book CraZ
5.0 out of 5 stars
How, How, HOW....?
can any Gen X'er give this movie less than 5 stars?? The 80s and 90s were full of sappy love stories. This one had some sarcastic humor and intelligence in it! Read more
Published 18 months ago by Mama Kimmberli
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good enough
Not an award winner, but mildly enjoyable. Watched for Free on Prime and streamed to our TV with our Roku. Was worth our time; no regrets.
Published 19 months ago by We share her Amazon
2.0 out of 5 stars
couldn't get through it
The cast list on this film looked pretty impressive, so I decided to give it a try on Netflix. I could barely get through it. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Enjolras
5.0 out of 5 stars
Will leave you smiling.
Reality Bites definitely surprised me with it's quality. I was expecting it to be a half-assed 1990's Breakfast Club but I was pleasantly proven wrong. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Melanie
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