Reality Bites

Reality Bites. 1994 Universal Pictures.
Starring: Winona Ryder, Ben Stiller, Ethan Hawke, Janeane Garofalo, Steve Zahn, Joe Don Baker
Director: Ben Stiller
Available at Amazon (10th Anniversary Edition).

The ongoing story of four twentysomethings living in Houston just after graduating college. Aspiring filmmaker Lelaina (Ryder), whose ongoing project is a documentary about her closest friends called "Reality Bites", and one of her closest friends, a coffee house guitarist and slacker named Troy (Hawke) are attracted to one another, but have never seriously pursued it, aside from one drunken night in the past that they both downplay. Troy can't seem to keep a job, and Lelania was valedictorian of her university, temporarily working as a production assistant to an abrasive television host.

But, Lelaina meets Michael quite by accident (car crash!) one day, and they start dating. Michael works at a cable channel similar to MTV, and is very interested in airing "Reality Bites" when Lelaina completes it. It must be assumed that if this network existed in the real world, it would be airing the film Reality Bites every other week. I digress.

Lelaina's roommate Vickie (Garofalo) engages in a series of one-night stands and brief relationships with many guys, mostly due to her fear of being alone compounded with the fear of rejection. Her promuscuity causes her to confront the very real risk of contracting AIDS. Vickie works at The Gap, and becomes store manager, which she is happy with. Fortunately, her AIDS test turns out negative. The fourth friend, Sammy (Zahn) is gay and celibate, and also too afraid to come out to his parents, although he does so by the end of the film without a problem.

Lelaina ends up losing her production assistant job, and Troy's father dies. They both have to reevaluate their lives, and decide to enter a relationship. Michael is cast out after he helps Lelaina sell her completed documentary to the network, but lets the network edit it in a way that Lelaina never wanted shown in the first place.

Recommended movie, if you like young adults talking almost nonstop with endless pop culture references thrown in. Oh, we won't even mention Lisa Loeb's connection to this film...