Episode 77 - Reality Bites

Ben Stiller's 1994 directorial debut, "Reality Bites," focuses on
the lives of four repugnant Gen Xers in their early 20s who are
trying desperately to figure out who they are while also trying
to find love. It's kinda like one long episode of "Friends," but
it takes itself way too seriously, and nobody sticks their head
inside a turkey.


Winona Ryder plays Lelaina Pierce, an aspiring documentary
filmmaker who thinks that her friend group's day-to-day
activities make for the most interesting subject matter possible.
Throughout the film, we are annoyingly reminded over and over
again that she was the valedictorian of her college class despite
the fact that her actions demonstrate that she is of average
intelligence at best.


Ethan Hawke plays Troy Dyer, a pretentious college drop-out who
plays in a mediocre band and lords his supposed 180 IQ over
everyone he encounters. He has been in love with Winona Ryder's
character for years, but he doesn't know how to express it
because he has the emotional maturity of a 10-year-old.


Janeane Garofalo plays Vickie Miner, a sarcastic ballbuster who
uses humor and casual sex to keep people at a distance, but she
is surprised and hurt when she finds herself sad and alone. She
is also terrified of contracting AIDS, and we are really supposed
to worry about whether or not she is going to test positive for
it.


Ben Stiller plays Michael Grates, a rich and successful young TV
executive who everyone in the film treats like garbage because
he's doing well in life. He makes the mistake of falling for
Winona Ryder's character, and she ends up smashing his heart to
pieces.


Steve Zahn plays Sammy Gray, a non-character that they shoehorn
into the movie in order to get credit for having a gay cast
member because that was edgy in the '90s.


Join us as we try and figure out what generation we are exactly,
remember how important Gelman from "Live with Regis & Kathie
Lee" was in our lives, and discuss the definition of irony. 


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This episode is sponsored by Ponzi Meditation.


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