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Reality Bites (1994)

Directed by:
Ben Stiller
COUNTRY
USA

GENRE
Drama/Romance

NORWEGIAN TITLE
Reality Bites

RUNNING TIME
99 minutes

Produced by:
Danny DeVito
Michael Shamberg
Written by:
Helen Childress


Cast includes:

CHARACTER ACTOR/ACTRESS RATING
Lelaina Pierce Winona Ryder
Troy Dyer Ethan Hawke
Michael Grates Ben Stiller ½
Vickie Miner Janeane Garofalo
Sammy Gray Steve Zahn ½
Charlane McGregor Swoosie Kurtz -
Wes McGregor Harry O’Reilly -
Grant's producer Barry Del Sherman -
Louise Anne Meara -
Roger Keith David -
Tom Pierce Joe Don Baker -
Grant Gubler John Mahoney ½
Tami Renee Zellweger -

 

Review

A dissection of Generation X and life as a young adult in the early to mid-90s – a world of camcorders, cigarettes, apartment sharing, and casual sex. With its trivially philosophical meanderings and music-video-style, Reality Bites arguably captured the 1990s zeitgeist better than most comparable films. And the film has retained its documentarian value, despite a rather sleight narrative basis. Because, at its core, this is just another story of guy-gets-girl, where the only looming question is whether it's the right guy in the end. A love triangle revolving around a Winona Ryder at the height of her popularity, an aptly bohemian Ethan Hawke, and a somewhat high-strung Ben Stiller, who also directed with a surprising amount of panache. Also with effective supporting work from Janeane Garofalo and a wealth of great tunes from the era in question. Good fun for people who remember the 90s.

Re-reviewed: Copyright © 27.04.2023 Fredrik Gunerius Fevang
Original review: Copyright © 21.08.1996 Fredrik Gunerius Fevang

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