The cast of "Reality Bites" celebrates its 25th anniversary

This weekend, the cast and the 1994 team Reality hurts gathered for a 25th anniversary screening at the Tribeca Film Festival. Guests included film stars Winona Ryder, Janeane Garofalo, Ethan Hawke and director Ben Stiller. Screenwriter Helen Childress was also present, along with producers Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher.

Reality hurts It was a modest financial success open to mixed reviews, but the film quickly took a second life and became one of the defining cinematic portraits of Generation X. The film follows four friends living together in Houston after graduating. Lelaina (Winona Ryder) is a serious documentary filmmaker who takes a shattering job at a morning cheesy talk show. Troy (Ethan Hawke) is an anti-establishment musician who goes through a series of dead ends. When Lelaina meets Michael (Ben Stiller), executive director of Yuppy, she is torn between the security of a mature relationship and her lingering feelings for Troy.

Reality hurts explores a variety of problems of the 90s: AIDS, exits, financial security and what it means to grow. He embodies the ethos of Gen X: reject authority and the concept of "sell". The 90s were about irony and authenticity, a rejection of conservatism in the 1980s. It was also an extremely prosperous and economically secure decade that allowed for such idealizations, especially for middle-class whites. higher.

Garofalo addressed the topic at the roundtable, stating, "I think there is a set back with which I tend to agree … This testifies to the authenticity of Helen's [Childress] story. It is not a quote, but of a generation. It represents the people who we think would be between the working class, the middle class and whites who had the luxury of having these jobs, and so on. I understand why there has been a decline. It's a general statement, a generation. A generation is very very diverse and there are many stories to tell. "

Actors and the team discussed how the film has aged, and Stiller said, "I just want to apologize for the way the film fetishes the smoking … The quantity of close-ups of cigarettes and inflamed cigarettes is uncontrollable.

In reviewing the film this weekend, I was struck by how much fun and fun it is. The film is animated by the warm and authentic performances of its cast, as well as by a smart and amusing scenario that reflects the struggle of over twenty years to become an adult. But by doing this in adulthood, I was thirty years old and I drew very different conclusions.

The most important disconnect I found was the idolization of Troy Dyer, a character who launched Ethan Hawke as the idol of the '90s. Troy's casual attitude towards the lazy and his commitment not to sell his products inspire innumerable favorites. But he is not a tortured romantic hero: he is the 90's version of what we now call an "f-ckboy".

Troy's treatment of Lelaina contrasts with Michael, who loves and respects him. In retrospect, this relationship is healthier and more functional than her relationship with Troy, who belittles her for her ambition and career. The lazy man was perhaps an idealization of the cool of the '90s, but now he just feels lazy and has the right.

The most interesting thing that emerged from the panel was the team that chose Winona Ryder as the driving force behind the film. Hawke said, "Winona has brought us all together. She was not intimidated at all. He continued, "I really want to say how much we are all indebted to Winona who uses his strength, his power, at that moment, to worry about the voice of another woman … I am indebted. Winona believed in me. Winona has had this job. This job has completely changed the trajectory of my career. "

Ryder replied, "I always read it as a nice little story about these friends. I never expected that to happen – and I do not even like to tell the generation a certain letter. I've never really seen it like that … I feel lucky. I think it could not have been done without all the ingredients here. "

(via the Hollywood Reporter, image: Universal Pictures)

Want more stories like this? Become a subscriber and support the site!

-The Mary Sue has a strict commentary policy that prohibits but is not limited to personal insults towards no matter who, hate speech and traine.-