A documentary filmmaker and her fellow Gen X graduates face life after college, looking for work and love in Houston.
Director:
Ben StillerWriter:
Helen Childress
From metacritic.com
Is "The Last Man on Earth" star's unmade script Oscar worthy? Find out on "UnMade," presented by "Star Trek: Discovery."
Related News
-
Back to One, Episode 41: First Reformed‘s Ethan Hawke
4 days ago | Filmmaker Magazine_Director Interviews -
Back to One, Episode 41: First Reformed‘s Ethan Hawke
4 days ago | Filmmaker Magazine -
'Escape at Dannemora' Finale: Ben Stiller on Tying Multiple Threads Together
31 December 2018 | The Hollywood Reporter
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: Reality Bites (1994)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
1 win & 1 nomination.
See more awards »
Learn more
More Like This
Mermaids
(1990)
Comedy
|
Drama
|
Romance
Director:
Richard Benjamin
Stars:
Cher,
Bob Hoskins,
Winona Ryder
Girl, Interrupted
(1999)
Biography
|
Drama
Director:
James Mangold
Stars:
Winona Ryder,
Angelina Jolie,
Clea DuVall
Singles
(1992)
Comedy
|
Drama
|
Romance
Director:
Cameron Crowe
Stars:
Bridget Fonda,
Campbell Scott,
Kyra Sedgwick
Heathers
(1988)
Comedy
|
Crime
Director:
Michael Lehmann
Stars:
Winona Ryder,
Christian Slater,
Shannen Doherty
Great Expectations
(1998)
Drama
|
Romance
Director:
Alfonso Cuarón
Stars:
Ethan Hawke,
Gwyneth Paltrow,
Hank Azaria
Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| 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 | |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
See All (22) »
Storyline
In this study of Generation X manners, Lelaina, the valedictorian of her college class, camcords her friends in a mock documentary of posteducation life. Troy is her best friend, a perpetually unemployed musical slacker. Vickie is a manager at the Gap who worries about the results of an AIDS test, while Sammy has problems grappling with his sexuality. When Lelaina meets Michael, an earnest video executive who takes her homemade video to his MTV-like station, she must decide what she values--the materialism of yuppie Michael or the philosophical musings of Troy. Written by Rick Gregory <rag.apa@email.apa.org>
Plot Keywords:
generation x | boy wearing glasses | depression | houston texas | love |Taglines:
A comedy about love in the '90s.Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
Rated PG-13 for some language, drug content and sensuality | See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
Edit
Edit
See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
18 February 1994 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
La dura realidad See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$11,500,000 (estimated)Gross USA:
$20,982,557Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$33,351,557Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (cut)Sound Mix:
DTSColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
Written by David Baerwald
Performed by Ethan Hawke, Jack Irons, Nathan December, Christopher Wagner
Produced by Michael Beinhorn
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Dave Pirner, Soul Asylum front-man and boyfriend of Winona Ryder during that time, is visible in some of the "home-made" videos. See more »Goofs
When Lelaina totals all of the money she 'earned' from the gas station in her notebook, she sums the amounts as $389.84, when the actual total is $393.97. See more »Alternate Versions
The Australian print only runs 94 minutes, and most notably actors Kevin Pollak and Jeanne Tripplehorn do not appear. See more »Soundtracks
I'm Nuthin'Written by David Baerwald
Performed by Ethan Hawke, Jack Irons, Nathan December, Christopher Wagner
Produced by Michael Beinhorn
See more »
Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.Contribute to This Page
Watch Hollywood hits and TV favorites for free with IMDb Freedive. Start streaming on IMDb and Fire TV devices today!
Explore popular and recently added TV series available to stream now with Prime Video.
I really do have difficulty with the short shrift this film seems to get. Admittedly, Ethan Hawke's appaling "I'm nuthin'" doesn't really do the film any favours but that asides, Reality Bites always has me in tears. The basic storyline, centering on a love that both people know exist but due to circumstance and fear has not manifested is so universal, and so well done. The 'my life is falling apart' endless phone calls to the psychic 0900 number part is so tragi-comedic, and the entire movie is full of continuous great scenes. Admittedly, being a single 25 year old white male who originally saw the film a few years back, I was probably caught at the optimal time for it to have an emotional impact, but I find myself going back to it again and again. Winona has never been better, and Janeane Garofalo is stunning as the low self-esteem serial one night stander with the AIDS paranoia and over-full shag book. Also, great cameos from the Soul Asylum geezer and Evan Dando's stunning turn during the end credits add to the film. Overall a stunning film, admittedly which will probably only be appreciated by a relatively narrow demographic.