Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Baseshment I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Calum Hutton It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Tymon Sutton The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

Tweekums When Lelaina Pierce and her friends graduate they have expectations about how their lives will progress; inevitably they don't go according to plan. Lelaina is working for an obnoxious morning TV presenter… at least she is until she makes him look a fool and gets fired. She is living with her friend Vickie and they are joined by their friend Troy after he is sacked from his job at a magazine stall. Troy clearly has feeling for her but can't express them; instead he acts like a jerk. Lelaina is making a documentary about her friends and new boyfriend Mike, who works for an MTVesque TV station, offers to get it aired… unfortunately the way they edit it isn't anything like she intended.I recall enjoying this when I first watched it but watching again I found it somewhat less enjoyable; the characters aren't particularly sympathetic. This is particularly true of Troy. I think we were meant to want him to end up with Lelaina but I couldn't help thinking that just about anybody, or nobody, would have been better than this obnoxious bully… even Mike and he was played by Ben Stiller who we were meant to dislike! I think the cast did a good job; even if I didn't like the characters I did believe in them. Winona Ryder impressed as Lelaina and even though I didn't like Troy, Ethan Hawke did a solid in the role. Overall this isn't a bad film but it was a bit disappointing as it wasn't as good as I remembered.One last thought; isn't it depressing that when this generation were at school they were 'The Breakfast Club' but once they graduate they become this bunch?!

SnoopyStyle Generation X college graduates struggle to find their way. Valedictorian Lelaina Pierce (Winona Ryder) tries to maintain her sincere believes while making a documentary about her group and working at Grant Gubler's morning show. Troy Dyer (Ethan Hawke) is her best friend and a willful womanizing slacker. Vickie Miner (Janeane Garofalo) is concerned that she has become a manager at the Gap. Sammy Gray (Steve Zahn) is trying to come to terms with his sexuality. Music TV executive yuppie Michael Grates (Ben Stiller) crashes into Lelaina's car leading into a romance.This is an iconic Gen X movie. Winona is adorable. Ethan Hawke is at the height of his slacker cool. There is great music. There is great slacker dialog. The only problem is that Ben Stiller is not a big enough jerk. That breaks a cliché from the traditional rom-com. One breaks the formula at one's own risk. Although who doesn't want to dance in a gas station convenient store?

Theodore Keating Slightly cynical, but not overwhelmingly so. Good cast. Probably one of the better Winona Ryder films-- better than 'Heathers' I think. I like Ben Stiller, so I liked his character better than his rival's, but Ethan Hawke's guy was okay too I guess. There's also something to be said about having a clear resolution to a three-party triangle where one of the two rivals is clearly chosen, although in this case I think the choice was somewhat influenced by 90s anti-business cynicism. Although I'll admit that Hawke's character was sympathetic to some degree for me, despite being somewhat cynical about life. On the whole about as good as many movies of this kind, and better than some. And it's not bad, pretty nice, to see Winona Ryder get a good part in a film that, works for her, I guess, since a lot of them don't, I think. She always comes across to me as a nice girl with usually bad luck, so it's good to see her when she's at her luckiest. (8/10)

HelenMary I love this film; Ethan Hawke is brilliant and really does sum up the 'searcher' generation, the new Beat. Grunge in this film is typified by over-intelligent, under-achieving, dope induced philosophical musings and desire to make a difference but not knowing how to go about it in world where young people feel anonymous and disenfranchised and dealing with modern day issues; coming out, HIV tests, unemployment, friendship, love and life aspirations.I think this is perfectly cast, loads of familiar faces, and I think this is my favourite role of Winona Ryder. Steve Zahn and Janeane Garofalo were great and the comedy, and Ben Stiller (who also directed) is good despite being an atypical role for him, and is one of his best roles. Ethan Hawke, however, is the deserved lead in this snapshot of reality, and a showcase of his band/singing. This is a well cast and performed ensemble cast production, and there are truisms left right and centre; it speaks to the heart & soul and is relevant to the 90s generation and I'm sure has relevance to later decades and has - IMHO - aged well. It is super-funny, touching and enlightening; something for everyone who's young enough and old enough. Even after 20 years it's one of my favourite films and watching it gives me such a warm feeling.