REALITY BITES
US, 1994, 99 minutes, Colour.
Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke, Janeane Garofalo, Steve Zahn, Ben Stiller, Swoosie Kurtz, Harry O' Reilly, Joe Don Baker, Renée Zellweger, John Mahoney.
Directed by Ben Stiller.
Reality Bites it is a picture of a group of Generation X Americans in the mid 1990s. It was directed by Ben Stiller who also appears in the film – and who went on to make quite a number of films as director including The Cable Guy, Zoolander, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
The film was the star vehicle for Winona Ryder who had emerged at the end of the 1980s and was high profile at this stage of her career, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, The Age of Innocence. However, after problems with shoplifting, she was reduced to character performances in the succeeding years. By contrast, Ethan Hawke had appeared in Dead Poets Society and was about to appear in Before Sunrise with a very successful star career for over 20 years. Steve Zahn appeared at the end of the 1980s and was to have a long career, especially with comic characters.
The film opens with a valedictory speech and Lelaina (Winona Ryder) unable to finish it, not knowing what the answer was for the future. She is a rich girl but wants to make her way, first of all providing questions for television personality (John Mahoney) who fires her. She looks unsuccessfully for jobs, collapses, is urged by her father to show ingenuity. She is also in a complex relationship with Trolley (Ethan Hawke), continually arguing, and his dislike of her boyfriend Michael (Ben Stiller), eventually breaking down the differences between them.
Compared with some of the films in succeeding decades, this group, while self-centred, seem models of upright behaviour compared with some of their successes.
1. The title? The video clips? Glimpses of characters? The whole film as a succession of reality bites?
2. University, apartments, television studios, the Gap store, diners, restaurants? The reality for Generation X in the 1990s?
3. Young adults, the 1990s, the contrast with their past? Looking back 20 years and seeing this way of life and characters in retrospect?
4. The young people as idealistic, pragmatic, cultural snobs, self-centred, uncertain?
5. The journey of Lelaina and of Troy? At the start, the University, her valedictory speech, uncertainties as to how to conclude? The meal, with her parents, the issue of the BMW, her father giving her the credit card, paying for one year’s expenses? The apartment, shared, the different jobs, being fired, applications, issues of arts and music? The personal clashes, irony and its meaning, her parents, her father urging her to ingenuity? A sense of failure, disillusionment, more humble and grounded?
6. Valedictory speech, her interaction with Troy, with Sam and Vicky, the different styles, the arguments, paying the rent, her job with the television station, the TV personality, harsh offscreen, genial with the public, wanting her to write his questions, humiliating her? Her humiliating him, reading out the insulting questions – and the gob-smacked reaction of the audience? Her being fired, the wide range of job applications, her insulting Vicky by implication about the Gap? Her being asked to define irony? The sitting at home, watching the TV, smoking incessantly, Vicky urging her to go out?
7. The encounter with Michael, the accident, the cigarette, his being on his phone, the crash, to his office, discussion about costs? The invitation to the date? Troy and the others and their reaction? Sharing with Michael, the sexual encounter, his job and her clips, taking them, the phone call about the money for the sale? Michael and his clashing with Troy, confrontation? Michael taking Lelaina to the session, her being upset at the way the clips we used? The final credits, Michael re-editing the clips, setting up a television programme?
8. Troy, young, love for music, cynical, idealistic, his sarcasm, not having a job? Sexual encounter with Vicky? Helping Sam? Disliking Michael, attacking Lelaina, the sexual encounter, his escape the next morning, the effect on her? Playing his music, the dedication of the song, her presence, leaving? His father, his father’s death, his return?
9. Vicky, age , self-focused, her book with a list of sexual encounters? With the group? At the Gap, very good with the customers? Lelaina turning down the job and her feeling insulted? Going to hear Troy with his music? Reconciliation with Lelaina, confidential chat? Advice?
10. Sam, his place in the group, his lifestyle, his repartee, homosexuality, coming out, in the video clip, talking about his mother, his admissions? Sense of freedom?
11. Vicki and Sam on the tape, acting, their talk, their being edited and the effect?
12. Lelaina’s parents, her father urging her to show ingenuity? Talking with her mother, the inane comments of her husband?
13. Michael, his work, the accident, with Lelaina, loving her, the wrong idea about the clips at the show, his apology, her walking out, the final credits and his editing the clips?
14. The television personality, with his audience, smarmy, offscreen, insulting Lelaina, wanting to get rid of her, her placing the false questions and his embarrassment, the audience, his firing her?
15. A glimpse of young adults in the mid 90s?
