Reality Bites (1994)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

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 | College Graduation | Post College

Awards:

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)
Ella Joyce	...	Libby Cumba (uncredited)
Glen Naessens	...	Himself (singer in Perch) (uncredited)
John F. O'Donohue	...	Food Mart Clerk (uncredited)
Anthony Robbins	...	Himself (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 Charles Gorey	....	boom operator: Houston (as Walter Gorey)
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	....	wardrobe supervisor: women
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
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
Caroline Digiulio	....	production assistant
Ivana di Tommaso	....	assistant: William Finnegan
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
Meredith B. Robinson	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Jerry Stiller	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Jersey Films
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1994) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1996) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• 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
• 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

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:

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

Filming Locations:

Houston, Texas, USA

Company:

Jersey Films

Trivia:

Ben Stiller was told he could include Lisa Loeb's "Stay" on the soundtrack only if he agreed to put "Baby, I Love Your Way" (remade by Big Mountain) on the soundtrack as well.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: At one point, the characters are drinking Slurpees from 7-11. This would have been impossible in Houston in the early 1990s. All Houston-area 7-11s were sold to Stop'n'Go in 1990. To get a Slurpee, they would have had to drive 109 miles to Smithville, Texas.

Quotes:

Vickie: [about Troy] He's weird, he's strange, he's sloppy, he's a total nightmare for women... I can't believe I haven't slept with him yet.

Movie Connections:

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

Soundtrack:

Road to Nowhere

Breaks my heart every time

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.