• Reality Bites (1994)

    After college, Lelaina (Winona Ryder) films a documentary about herself and friends as they flounder in their attempts to forge relationships and begin careers. Vickie (Janeane Garofalo) works retail, has an endless string of one-night stands and awaits the results of her HIV test. Sammy (Steve Zahn) tries to come out to his parents. Lelaina gets involved with yuppie Michael (Ben...

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Reality Bites
67
metacriticBased on 26 Critics
82
Based on 6 Users

Release Date: February 18th, 1994

DVD Release Date: July 22nd, 1998

PG-13 |1 hr 38 min

Plot Summary

After college, Lelaina (Winona Ryder) films a documentary about herself and friends as they flounder in their attempts to forge relationships and begin careers. Vickie (Janeane Garofalo) works retail, has an endless string of one-night stands and awaits the results of her HIV test. Sammy (Steve Zahn) tries to come out to his parents. Lelaina gets involved with yuppie Michael (Ben Stiller) while maintaining a love-hate relationship with Troy (Ethan Hawke), who's undergoing an existential crisis.

Cast: Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke, Ben Stiller, Janeane Garofalo, Steve Zahn, Swoosie Kurtz, Joe Don Baker, John Mahoney

Director: Ben Stiller

Genres: Drama

Production Co: Jersey Films, Universal Pictures

Distributors: United International Pictures, MCA/Universal Pictures [us], Argentina Video Home

Keywords: Office, House, Love, 1990s, Friendship, Witty, Friend, Bar, Growing up, Transformation, Love triangle, Engaging

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Ratings & Reviews

  • 88
    Rene RodriguezMiami Herald

    The movie ultimately plays as a dead-on snapshot of the much-maligned post-Baby Boomer generation. In 10 years, Reality Bites might seem dated and irrelevant. Right now, it feels remarkably astute. [18 Feb 1994, p.G5]

  • 88
    Jay CarrBoston Globe

    It's slick, but also heartfelt. It's for those who think it's cool to watch "Brady Bunch" reruns and uncool to watch MTV, and it's got terrific performances by Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke and Ben Stiller, who also directs this very appealing canter through the vocational and emotional minefields of our downsizing trash culture. [18 Feb 1994, p.33]

  • 100
    Edward GuthmannSan Francisco Chronicle

    The great thing about Reality Bites is that each of the characters comes across as real, and not some glib concoction by a screenwriter who's watched them from a cloistered distance. Childress obviously knows their world inside out, and shares it with insight and a prickly, original wit. [18 Feb 1994, p.C1]

See all critic reviews on metacritic.com

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