‘Reality Bites’ 25th Anniversary With Bill Simmons, Chuck Klosterman, and Chris Ryan
February 27, 2019 · Reality Bites (1994) · Comedy · Drama · Romance · 1:38:31 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsWhen do you think selling out started? When do you think the concept was? Who do you think the first?▶ 18:41
Chris RyanThe concept of selling out goes along with punk rock, and became more clear as independent music and cinema rose in the eighties▶ 18:47
Chuck KlostermanWhy doesn't Ben Stiller's character let Winona Ryder see her edited documentary until it's being premiered - that's a weird twist▶ 18:26
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsThe character Michael was supposed to be 35 years old and was originally selling insurance, which went through dozens of drafts▶ 27:46
Chuck KlostermanThere are bonus scenes on the DVD including a removed scene where she explains to Ben Stiller why she chooses Troy, filmed in front of a water fountain but cut due to sound issues▶ 30:14
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsMelrose Place AIDS speech scene - 'My personal favorite. I'm just going to tell you that one wins.'▶ 40:41
Chris RyanThe 'All I Want Is You' montage scene where she's looking for him and goes to Stevie in the diner asking if he's okay▶ 41:22
Chuck KlostermanPrefers the scenes where Troy and Lainey fight rather than romantic scenes, finds their angry interactions validate their connection more than the walking/romantic scenes▶ 38:32
What's Aged the Best
Bill SimmonsMultiple picks: Winona Ryder as Gen X Goddess, Janeane Garofalo's performance, Ethan Hawke's music in the film, Rolling Rock beer nostalgia, and the soundtrack featuring World Party, Crowded House, Squeeze, etc.▶ 46:24
Chuck KlostermanThe naming of Ethan Hawke's band 'Hey, That's My Bike' as a perfect encapsulation of how bands were being named at that time▶ 48:31
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsParker Posey — Shared casting trivia: Winona Ryder fought for Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow/Anne Heche/Parker Posey auditioned for Vicky's role, Parker Posey would have been great, Janeane Garofalo was fired then rehired▶ 55:29
Chris RyanWinona Ryder — Praised Winona Ryder's influence in casting decisions, comparing her to LeBron James for getting Ethan Hawke signed and Janeane Garofalo traded back▶ 56:19
Chuck KlostermanParker Posey — Parker Posey is the only person who could have done Vicky's role as well or better than Janeane Garofalo, but the casting is perfect and any changes to the four principals would make it a totally different movie▶ 55:53
Dion Waiters Award
Bill SimmonsSwoosie Kurtz — John Mahoney as Grant from Good Morning Grant, but switches to Chuck's pick of Smoosie Kurtz's husband (the guy who says 'get a Ford')▶ 58:07
Chuck KlostermanSwoosie Kurtz — The actor who plays Smoosie Kurtz's husband/Winona Ryder's mom's new husband - the guy who says 'get a Ford' and is funny in every scene▶ 57:47
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsWinona Ryder — Winona Ryder - yes, Ethan Hawke - no (Training Day was his apex)▶ 1:07:26
Chuck KlostermanLisa Loeb — Winona Ryder - no (Heathers was more significant), Ethan Hawke - no (Training Day was his apex), Lisa Loeb - yes▶ 1:05:05
Joey Pants Award
Bill SimmonsSwoosie Kurtz — Suggests Susie Kurtz's husband (whose name he doesn't know) and Joe Don Baker, but gets confused about the category definition▶ 1:08:36
Chuck KlostermanInitially mentions the category but doesn't provide a clear pick amid the confusion about category definition▶ 1:08:26
Best Quote
Bill SimmonsMultiple quotes including 'If I could bottle the sexual tension between Bonnie, Franklin, and Snyder, I could solve the energy crisis', 'I'm not under any orders to make the world a better place', and several others▶ 1:11:51
Chuck KlostermanThe irony exchange: 'They asked me what irony is' and 'It's when the actual meaning is the complete opposite from the literal meaning'▶ 1:13:17
Who Won the Movie
Bill SimmonsWinona Ryder — Winona Ryder - she single-handedly cast Ethan Hawke, saved Janine Garofalo's job, and made the movie happen▶ 1:28:37
Chris RyanEthan Hawke — Ethan Hawke - first face that jumps to mind when thinking of the movie▶ 1:27:19
Chuck KlostermanEthan Hawke — Initially said Ryder, then switched to Ethan Hawke because he won both performance-wise and literally gets the girl, then wavered back toward Ryder▶ 1:27:09
Movies Referenced (29)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before Sunrise (1995) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 3:12 |
| Dazed and Confused (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Chuck Klosterman, Bill Simmons | ▶ 8:13 |
| Pulp Fiction (1994) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Chuck Klosterman, Bill Simmons | ▶ 59:17 |
| Proof of Life (2000) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 56:58 |
| Clerks (1994) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 8:05 |
| Inception (2010) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chuck Klosterman | ▶ 12:12 |
| Reservoir Dogs (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 51:26 |
| Rushmore (1998) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 2:34 |
| Saturday Night Fever (1977) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chuck Klosterman | ▶ 8:38 |
| American Graffiti (1973) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chuck Klosterman | ▶ 8:13 |
| Chronicle (2012) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chuck Klosterman | ▶ 1:16:41 |
| Dead Poets Society (1989) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chuck Klosterman | ▶ 6:51 |
Directors Referenced (4)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chuck Close | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 18 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Chuck Klosterman | Six Degrees of Separation | ▶ 1:34 |
| Quentin Tarantino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, From Dusk Till Dawn | ▶ 7:49 |
| Cameron Crowe | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky | ▶ 1:37:53 |
| Sofia Coppola | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Godfather Part III, The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation | ▶ 6:05 |
Actors Referenced (55)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Stiller | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 38 | Bill Simmons, Chuck Klosterman, Chris Ryan | Tropic Thunder, Zoolander | ▶ 6:19 |
| Winona Ryder | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 26 | Bill Simmons, Chuck Klosterman, Chris Ryan | Dracula | ▶ 5:43 |
| Janeane Garofalo | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Chuck Klosterman | Ratatouille | ▶ 8:50 |
| Peter Frampton | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Chuck Klosterman, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Almost Famous, Dazed and Confused | ▶ 19:53 |
| Steve Zahn | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Chuck Klosterman | ▶ 34:06 | |
| John Mahoney | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons | Moonstruck, Barton Fink | ▶ 57:03 |
| Screaming Trees | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Chuck Klosterman | True Lies, The River Wild, Singles | ▶ 3:12 |
| Gene Simmons | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 57:41 | |
| Joe Pantoliano | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Memento, The Matrix | ▶ 1:08:31 |
| Melrose | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 40:19 | |
| Parker Posey | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | Scream 3 | ▶ 55:51 |
| Penny Hardaway | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Blue Chips | ▶ 32:26 |
Writers Referenced (2)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helen Childress | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | Reality Bites | ▶ 59:00 |
| Lily Taylor | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 33:27 |
Cinematographers Referenced (1)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Grantland | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chuck Klosterman | The Other Guys | ▶ 12:12 |