Reality Bites (1994)

Director:

Ben Stiller

Writer (WGA):

Helen Childress (written by)

Release Date:

18 February 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A comedy about love in the '90s.

Plot:

Generation X Graduates face life after college with a filmmaker looking for work and love in Houston.

Plot Keywords:

Generation X | Love | Valedictorian | Media Hype | Ménage À Trois

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Winona Ryder	...	Lelaina Pierce
Ethan Hawke	...	Troy Dyer
Janeane Garofalo	...	Vickie Miner
Steve Zahn	...	Sammy Gray
Ben Stiller	...	Michael Grates
Swoosie Kurtz	...	Charlane McGregor
Harry O'Reilly	...	Wes McGregor
Susan Norfleet	...	Helen Anne Pierce
Joe Don Baker	...	Tom Pierce
Renée Zellweger	...	Tami (as Renee Zellweger)
James Rothenberg	...	Rick
John Mahoney	...	Grant Gubler
Eric Morgan Stuart	...	Damien (as Eric Stuart)
Barry Del Sherman	...	Grant's Producer (as Barry Sherman)
Chelsea Lagos	...	Troy Groupie
Bill Bolender	...	Truck Driver
Jubal Palmer	...	Player #1
Marti Greene	...	Player #2
John Walsh	...	Player #3
Helen Childress	...	Waitress
David Pirner	...	Phineas
Andy Dick	...	Rock
Keith David	...	Roger
Anne Meara	...	Louise
Mick Lazinski	...	Stand-Up Comic
Amy Stiller	...	Psychic Phone Partner
Afton Smith	...	Janine
Pat Crawford Brown	...	Cashier
Jeff Kahn	...	Stage Manager
Karen Duffy	...	Actress 'Elaina'
Evan Dando	...	Actor 'Roy'
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Val Barri	...	V.J. (uncredited)
Nathan December	...	Troy's guitarist (uncredited)
Nicolo Dominick Gullo	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Ella Joyce	...	Libby Cumba (uncredited)
Glen Naessens	...	Himself (singer in Perch) (uncredited)
John F. O'Donohue	...	Food Mart Clerk (uncredited)
Anthony Robbins	...	Himself (uncredited)
Bill Ross	...	Driver (uncredited)
David Spade	...	Hot Dog Vendor Mgr. (uncredited)
Jeanne Tripplehorn	...	Cheryl Goode (uncredited)

Directed by
Ben Stiller

Writing credits (WGA)
Helen Childress		(written by)

Produced by
Danny DeVito	....	producer
Bill Finnegan	....	supervising producer (as William Finnegan)
Wm. Barclay Malcolm	....	executive producer
Sheldon Pinchuk	....	supervising producer
Michael Shamberg	....	producer
Stacey Sher	....	executive producer
Lori-Etta Taub	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
Emmanuel Lubezki

Film Editing by
Lisa Zeno Churgin		(as Lisa Churgin)
John Spence

Casting by
Francine Maisler

Production Design by
Sharon Seymour

Art Direction by
Jeff Knipp

Set Decoration by
Maggie Martin

Costume Design by
Eugenie Bafaloukos

Makeup Department
Claude Díaz	....	hair stylist
Deborah K. Larsen	....	makeup artist (as Deborah Larsen)
Peter Savic	....	hair designer
Donna Spahn	....	hair stylist: Houston
Marja Webster	....	key hair stylist
Marja Webster	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Bill Finnegan	....	unit production manager (as William Finnegan)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Larson	....	second assistant director
Keri L. McIntyre	....	first assistant director
Allan Wertheim	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Jon Aguilar	....	assistant property master
Michael Armani	....	set designer
Curtis Baruth	....	construction coordinator (as Curtis W. Baruth)
Maike Both	....	set dresser
Jeffrey Cahill	....	carpenter
John Coven	....	storyboard artist
Paulette Fox	....	scenic painter
Roger L. King	....	carpenter
Michael Larkins	....	carpenter
Donna Lindholm	....	construction runner
Wayne Lindholm	....	construction foreman
Wayne Lindholm	....	lead carpenter
James Malley	....	set dresser
Eric McHugh	....	on-set dresser
Andrew Moore	....	construction foreman
Timothy O'Brien	....	carpenter
Tony Palermo	....	property assistant
James Parks	....	carpenter
Lynda Reiss	....	property master
Francis J. Roix	....	carpenter
Amy Skjonsby-Winslow	....	art department coordinator (as Amy K. Skjonsby)
Christopher Stull	....	assistant art director: Houston
Benners Fox Vail	....	lead man
Chris L. Winslow	....	lead scenic painter

Sound Department
Rick Alexander	....	supervising re-recording mixer
Bob Baron	....	adr mixer
Dean Beville	....	foley editor
James Bolt	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Jim Bolt)
Andy D'Addario	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ezra Dweck	....	foley mixer
Judee Flick	....	supervising adr editor
Stephen Hunter Flick	....	supervising sound editor (as Stephen H. Flick)
Rick Freeman	....	foley editor
Walter Gorey	....	boom operator: Houston
Dana Gustafson	....	assistant sound editor
David Halbert	....	boom operator
Stephen Halbert	....	sound mixer
Dan Hegeman	....	adr editor
R.J. Kizer	....	sound editor
Elliott Koretz	....	sound editor
David McDonald	....	adr recordist (as Dave McDonald)
Michael Mirkovich	....	assistant sound editor
Albert Romero	....	sound recordist
Catherine Rowe	....	foley artist
Joan Rowe	....	foley artist
Paul Vydel	....	adr mixer: New York
Marvin Walowitz	....	sound editor
Wayne Bell	....	sound effects (uncredited)

Special Effects by
David Amborn	....	special effects
Arnold Peterson	....	special effects (as Arnie Peterson)

Visual Effects by
Clayton R. Marsh	....	optical line-up

Stunts
Charles Croughwell	....	stunts (as Charlie Croughwell)
Barbara Anne Klein	....	stunts
Amanda Rogers	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Kenneth J. Byrnes	....	electric rigging crew: Houston
Wayne 'Woody' Cone	....	grip
Scott Conn	....	electrician: Houston
Larry Crayton	....	electrician: Houston
Laurence Cropley	....	electrician
Sean Devine	....	grip rigging crew: Houston
Joseph Dianda	....	key grip
Warren Feldman	....	camera loader (as Warren Zev Feldman)
Ray Garcia	....	grip rigging crew: Houston
Rodrigo García	....	camera operator
Stan Glapa	....	camera remote: Houston
Andrew Glover	....	electrician
Paris L. Gutierrez	....	electric rigging crew: Houston (as Paris Gutierrez)
Larry Huston	....	Steadicam assistant
John Lacy	....	electrician: Houston (as John Lacey)
Daniel D. Lange	....	electrician: Houston
Galen Lange	....	electrician: Houston
Paul T. LeBlanc	....	video assist operator: Houston (as Paul Le Blanc)
Mark E. Long	....	electric rigging crew: Houston
William J. McDevitt	....	grip (as William McDevitt)
Michael Wayne Miller	....	grip rigging crew: Houston
Dayton Nietert	....	gaffer
Michael R. Oddo	....	dolly grip
Jeff Orsa	....	electrician (as Jeffrey E. Orsa)
Scott Patten	....	grip
Jeffrey Pinchuk	....	camera production assistant
Rick Raphael	....	Steadicam operator (as Frederick R. Raphael)
Van Redin	....	still photographer
Kyle Rudolph	....	Steadicam operator (as Kyle C. Rudolph)
Daisy Smith	....	second assistant camera
Egon Stephan	....	Steadicam assistant (as Egon Stephon)
Harrison Craig Stephens	....	electric rigging crew: Houston
Richard Tibbetts	....	electrician: Houston
Rick Tiedeman	....	Steadicam operator (as Richard P. Tiedeman)
Lynn Troupe	....	best boy
Ralph Unger	....	electrician: Houston
Joseph Vasquez	....	electrician: Houston (as Joe Vasquez)
Derek Voy	....	electrician (as Derrick Voy)
Dan Wagner	....	first assistant camera
Greg Wardell	....	best boy
Georgia Packard	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Bubba Sheffield	....	key rigging grip (uncredited)

Animation Department
Steve Kirklys	....	animator: "Reality Bites" sequence

Casting Department
Kathy Driscoll	....	casting associate
Kathryn Eisenstein	....	casting associate
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Rich King	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Linda S. Cormany	....	wardrobe supervisor: men
Lori Eskowitz-Carter	....	wardrobe supervisor: women (as Lori Eskowitz)
Caitlin Shamberg	....	wardrobe production assistant
Nancy Steiner	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Gena Bleier	....	first assistant editor
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Lorisa Francis-Marrero	....	post-production coordinator
Herb Hickey	....	color timer
Nina Lucia	....	second assistant editor
Paul Bronkar	....	video colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Rupert Coulson	....	score recording & mixing
Ron Fair	....	executive soundtrack producer: RCA Records
Art Ford	....	music consultant
Christopher Notarthomas	....	assistant music editor (as Chris Notarthomas)
Greg O'Connor	....	composer: additional music
Jennifer Pyken	....	music coordinator
Karyn Rachtman	....	music supervisor
Mary Ramos	....	music coordinator
Andrew Silver	....	music editor
Karl Wallinger	....	music arranger
Karl Wallinger	....	orchestrator
Karl Wallinger	....	score engineer

Transportation Department
Hal Davis	....	transportation captain
Felician Ghitescu	....	driver
Chuck Hanson	....	driver (as Charles S. Hanson)
Kenneth L. Hardman	....	driver
Ron Hardman	....	transportation coordinator
Bob Hendrix	....	driver (as Bob L. Hendrix)
William Hogue	....	driver (as William M. Hogue)
Gene R. Johnson	....	driver
Jim Koenekamp	....	driver (as James Koenekamp)
Thomas M. Krigbaum	....	driver
Donald H. Lewis	....	driver
Stephen Thomas Steele	....	driver
Gary D. Watts	....	driver
Glenn Knowlton	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Shayn Adamson	....	production assistant
Susan Bradley	....	title designer
Ruth Britt	....	voice talent
Raquel Caballes Maxwell	....	assistant production coordinator
Alfred Cervantes	....	teamster
Curtis Collins	....	location manager
Kathy Craft	....	craft service: Houston
Ivana di Tommaso	....	assistant: William Finnegan
Caroline Digiulio	....	production assistant
Holly Dorff	....	voice talent
Cynthia Felde	....	production assistant: Houston
Primrose Fukuchi	....	production accountant
Whitney E. Gates	....	assistant: Stacey Sher
Steve Gehrke	....	script supervisor (as Steve R. Gehrke)
Pamela Haber	....	production assistant: Houston
Phil Hardage	....	key set production assistant: Houston (as Philip Hardage)
Diana L. Hayes	....	assistant location manager
Steven Hentges	....	production assistant: Houston
Ilyse Horowitz	....	assistant: Ben Stiller
Uri Horowitz	....	production assistant
Maureen Jennings	....	production associate
James Jones	....	video sequences producer
Aaron Khristeus	....	production controller
Carlyle King	....	voice talent
Daamen J. Krall	....	voice talent (as Daamen Krall)
Gina Landerer	....	craft service
Josephine Landerer	....	craft service
Adam Loef	....	production assistant
Ramiro López	....	caterer
Steve Madigan	....	production assistant
David McCharen	....	voice talent
Linda Olszewski	....	production assistant (as Linda O)
Valerie Peterson	....	production coordinator (as Valerie Peterson-Beale)
Peter M. Robarts	....	location manager
Vernon Scott	....	voice talent
Emilie Shirer	....	assistant: Winona Ryder
Israel Sifuentes	....	production assistant: Houston
Michael Strauss	....	production assistant
Becky Thyre	....	voice talent
Ellen L. Warren	....	location manager: Houston
Kieran Woo	....	accounting assistant
Jeff Wunderlich	....	video graphic design
Homer Jon Young	....	production assistant: Houston
Sylvie Forester	....	press attache: France (uncredited)
Meredith B. Robinson	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Jerry Stiller	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Jersey Films
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• United International Pictures (UIP) (1995) (France) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1994) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1996) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• CIC Video (1996) (Greece) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (199?) (Brazil) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video
• United International Pictures (UIP)
• Universal Home Video (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Illusion Arts (matte paintings)
• John Frazier Special Effects

Other Companies

• Air Studios  additional sound recording
• Air Studios  mixed at
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies (as Chapman L.A.)
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Clein & White  unit publicity
• Consolidated Film Industries (CFI)  color timing
• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• Kathy Craft  craft service
• Kona Cutting  negative cutting
• Mind Your Music  music coordination
• Movie Movers  cast trailers
• Panavision  camera and lenses
• Paskal Lighting  lighting equipment
• RCA Records  soundtrack
• Seaview Studios, London  score recording
• Universal Studios Sound Facilities  sound re-recorded at
• Video Unit (beta unit)  houston unit

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some language, drug content and sensuality

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:S | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating)

Filming Locations:

Houston, Texas, USA

Company:

Jersey Films

Trivia:

The scene in which Michael and Lelaina discuss the Big Gulp on the back of Michael's car was originally supposed to have the song "Beth" by 'KISS' playing. Ben Stiller couldn't secure the rights to the song so they opted for "Baby I Love Your Way" by Peter Frampton instead. Peter Frampton was an upstairs neighbor of Ben Stiller during filming of the movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: Troy takes his guitar off twice before going on a break at the club.

Quotes:

Lelaina:I just don't understand why things just can't go back to normal at the end of the half hour like on the Brady Bunch or something.
Troy Dyer:Well, 'cause Mr. Brady died of AIDS. Things don't turn out like that.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Step by Step: Reality Bites (#6.8)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

Marriage

It doesn't so much bite as it does nip

Any film striving to chart the up-to-the-minute details of twenty-something life in 1994 was bound to feel a tad outdated the second that 1995 had found its cultural niche. And true, 'Reality Bites' was clearly trying so hard to be hip and with the times that there are points when its characters can seem very distant now (there can't be too many people today who'd consider dancing around a gas station like an unrestrained idiot to be a fitting definition of coolness – nowadays viewers will probably be more inclined to identify with the clerk looking on with bemusement in that scene). Nonetheless, the uncertainties that come with entering adulthood and establishing a steady independent life of your own in the real world will always be relevant issues to young people no matter what the era, so any flick that deals with them has a fair chance of striking a chord with such an audience (being a young twenty-something myself, they're certainly hot on my own mind). Sadly, they never amount to much more here than the backdrop for a familiar love triangle yarn, albeit the familiar love triangle yarn as you've never seen it before. Our lead girl still gets torn between two guys, each from a different rung on the social ladder, only this time round it's actually the down-to-earth businessman making a healthy living for himself (Michael) who's an amiable mass of benevolence, and the laid-back young musician struggling to make ends meet (Troy) who acts like an offhand, self-righteous bully for much of his screen time. That the film still expects our sympathies to lie in the usual places regardless and root for Troy simply because he's the underdog is just the slightest bit galling (let's ignore the fact that Leliana, the lucky heroine who has the honour of choosing between them, is something of a whiny, irresponsible brat herself). Perhaps the only thing more fatal than choosing to go with such a wearisome and predictable formula is using characters that don't even comfortably fit it.

Fortunately, 'Reality Bites' does have a number of small redeeming qualities which come along at just the right moments and may make us intermittently forget that this is all going to be part of something very hollow and routine overall. It's stylish, well-crafted and reasonably entertaining, if you can forgive the occasional patch of cringe-inducing dialogue ("I'm a non-practicing Jew" "Hey, I'm a non-practicing virgin" – dear lord), and Ben Stiller adds life and flair from whichever side of the camera he's on. His debut direction feels surprisingly accomplished, panning the various scenes from a selection of imaginative angles and connecting them together very smoothly, while his character is easily the most likable and understandable of the bunch (too bad he wasn't meant to be). John Mahoney (better known for his role as Martin Crane in the popular sitcom 'Frasier') has a memorable cameo as a disgruntled TV show host, the soundtrack is filled with lots of little audio treats, and the people in the prop department have certainly provided us with plenty of interesting things to look at – it's actually quite fun to watch if you keep your eye out for all the novelty memorabilia that these characters have hoarded; in addition to Michael's beloved Dr Zaius figurine, a Garfield-shaped telephone and a metal 'Charlie's Angels' lunch-box, among others, have made it to the set.

But what really hurts 'Reality Bites' in the end, other than the hackneyed storyline, is just how much depth and substance the protagonists are sorely lacking. Considering that it revolves around a recently-graduated girl determined to demonstrate that she and her friends are more than just shallow Generation X-ers, devoid of any desires that extend beyond having sex and eating pizza, it doesn't exactly do a great deal to convince us otherwise. Most of their time is seemingly devoted to nothing more ambitious than messing around and having spats with each other, while the more serious material, including a subplot which sees Leliana's best friend Vickie awaiting the results of a test for HIV, is downplayed so considerably that you never get the impression that any of them are terribly concerned. The back-stories we hear about rough childhoods of divorced or neglectful parents are equally perfunctory, and the sad fact that Troy's dad is currently dying from prostate cancer is treated very incidentally by the film as a whole - what little is made of it feels more like an emotional blackmail designed to make us feel sympathy for the pretentious Troy than an actual aspect of his character.

It gives us something good every now and then, but overall 'Reality Bites' just isn't strong or satisfying enough to qualify as a coming of age classic (don't even think about comparing it to 'the Graduate', or even 'Risky Business'). While it may go on being fondly-remembered by those who experienced it at the time, on the whole this one feels like it's been rather grounded in 1994, and left with only real claim to fame – and that's that it famously beat 'Pulp Fiction' to the rights to have 'My Sharona' on its soundtrack. With hindsight, it was probably 'Pulp Fiction' who had the last laugh.

Grade: B-