User reviews

Two female high school grads plan to get jobs and hang together, but bonds become frayed and paths separate after one of the girls ends up on an unintended journey of self-discovery. From the comic-book which takes a perverse delight in celebrating the geeky side of all of us, "Ghost World" is profane and cynical, but also surprisingly blithe and bright. I rather enjoyed it but realize it's not for every taste. Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson are incredibly rich and vivid in their roles (low-keyed, deadpan, but not blanks); their love-hate friendship is convincing and blessedly free of melodramatics--even they seem to cherish the personality conflicts that come up, it may give them more ammunition. As for the ending, I'm not sure whether it is ingenious or a cop-out, but it did leave me touched (in a bemused, nostalgic way). A movie with much to offer. *** from ****

I guess different people can extract different meanings from GHOST WORLD and all nail exactly why it was made. For me, it was the chronicle of that small group of people who don't, and probably never will, quite fit into this world. They're here on the fringes though, just existing in their own parallel universe, or their own "ghost world." Though it sounds depressing, this film is hardly a downer, it's full of humor, satire and acute observations on life. The overall production is excellent (the brightness and colors in the photography, costumes and sets is stunning)... plus it pulls off the impossible by successfully steering toward dead-on seriousness near the conclusion to drive it's point across.

It begins at graduation with Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson), two very perceptive high school outcasts who see right through the facade of their juvenile peers and want nothing to do with it. For Rebecca this self-ostracizing is just a passing phasing, but for Enid you get the strong impression this is going to always be her way of life. It's not that she doesn't get it, it's that she's doesn't understand IT or people or the games of life. There's a brief emotional turning point for Enid when a cruel practical joke backfires and she becomes involved with the target, the nerdy and very sardonic Seymour (Steve Buscemi), who may just be the kindred spirit Enid was looking for. The shared scenes between Enid and Seymour, though doomed to take a bad turn, are handled with tenderness by the director and actors and are quite memorable and touching.

Highlights are an excellent scene in a blues club that just about nails the American outlook on life and our lack of reverence and the ones in Enid's remedial art class, with the most misguided and pretentious teacher (Illeana Douglas) you could imagine. The girls are wonderful, and Steve Buscemi was unfairly overlooked at awards time (big shocker). Anyway, he's never been this good before. The fact this premise, these ideas and these original and interesting characters came from a comic book makes me realize I've completely overlooked the artistic possibilities within that medium.

A significant number of reviews I have read regarding Ghost World complain about "nothing" happening. This is simply untrue. Having read the book by Daniel Clowes and being sceptical and admiring of it in roughly equal measure, I was very pleased to see the film far surpassed the book in excellence. Another book that can be likened to Ghost World is The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger, and even The Graduate shares themes with Ghost World. The narrative revolves in all three around characters who have reached a juncture in their life where the road splits many different ways, causing confusion.

The wonderful thing about Ghost World, however, is that Enid's reluctance to grow old is accentuated by the other characters ensuring their lives advance. Even Seymour "grows up" when he finally meets his attractive blonde. Constant reminders of Enid's immaturity make this film. When the two visit Josh's apartment and he is not in, Enid scrawls an immature and explicit note to him and hangs it on the door knob. But we hear Becky ask "Are you really gonna leave that?" This is one of the first signs of a difference between Becky and Enid. More follow, particularly the job hunting fiasco, in which Becky quickly finds and keeps her bum counter job in a coffee house, where as Enid jumps from job to job, her immature cynicism ensuring job loss.

Plenty happens in this film. Not least the ending, which, contrary to something I have read, is not an ending that the director rashly consturcting to rescue a failing storyline. Thankfully, the ending from the book was retained for the film, and it proves to be similarly poignant on screen. This is not a bus to nowhere, it is a bus out of nowhere. Enid finally finds a direction in her life - even if the direction is wide and undefined.

My only criticisms of Ghost World is that 1) the directing was tepid, showing little flare whatsoever, which detracts from the film and 2) Enid's university application in the book was not kept in the film. This was a particularly pivotal point in the book I felt, and it was unfortunate it was not kept in the film.

However, the acting is enjoyable - Buscemi is wonderful as the lugubrious Seymour and Birch is commendable as Enid. The comedy is a plus point in the film, however, I object to it being defined as a comedy, as the book was not and people may have seen this film expecting incisive comedy when the real story is far far more subtle than the frank comedy.

Definitely see this film. The desperate nature of the two protagonists is quite heartbreaking, the comedy characters are suitably cliched to ensure lightweight laughs (such as the hilarious store manager), and the ending is very good.

I give this film eight out of ten.

Movies that criticise the world can fall into many traps, leaving the viewer to feel jaded by the film's experience. Ghost World's witty appraisal of 'America' successfully avoids being childishly caustic or self-important and thus emerges as one of the best films of 2001. We sympathise with Enid (the luscious Thora Birch) without being expected to completely believe that her cynical world-view is necessarily the right one. Enid's (and her best-friend Rebecca's)negativity is turned on all around them, and their obsessive need to be cool but on their own terms sees them take post-modernism to its absurd conclusion.

Enid's bizarre costume choices mean that she stands out from the rest of her baggy-panted generation, and in one scene is infuriated that no-one, even Rebecca, understands her 'original 1977 punk look' she's testing out.

The fact that we should not fully empathise with Enid is shown by the contrasting character arc of Rebecca. There is a definite sense that she grows up over the course of the movie, but not in a "what have we learned about life" Disney way. Perhaps she has sold out to the conservative ideals that seemed so repulsive to them at the beginning of the movie, but just as Enid ultimately fulfils her desires, so does Becky live out her 'seventh grade fantasy'. The important thing is not the choices people make, but whether they make choices with which they are happy.

The movie's main targets are people who betray themselves in an effort to fit in, and their resulting stupidity by doing so. But the people who have remained true to their values (like Steve Buscemi's Seymour, in a performance that should have been at least nominated for an Academy Award), are portrayed as leading equally vacuous lives. Seymour's infrequent attempts to achieve 'normality' are galling for us to observe, and near soul-destroying for him to experience.

This is an excellent movie. Thora Birch gives her most confident performance to date, and Scarlett Johansson is superbly laconic as Enid's icy side-kick. The supporting cast all shine. Strongly recommended!

"Ghost World" is not a film for everyone. Its characters are certainly unusual but not necessarily crowd-pleasers. It also features a vague ending...something which most film viewers would not appreciate.

Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) just graduated from high school. However, they are far from the typical 17-18 year-olds. In many ways, they are like hipster versions of Daria (from the wonderful cartoon series)...but with a darker, nastier edge to them. They don't fit in with those around them and seem to enjoy giggling among themselves about how stupid and ridiculous everyone else is. However, through the course of the film, these two sullen young ladies who try very hard not to care find themselves caring. Rebecca finds a job and Enid invests her energy in a social outcast, Seymour (Steve Buscemi). All the while, their own relationship with each other becomes strained...mostly because their lives now are taking different directions.

This film features some truly terrific acting. While Scarlett Johansson went on to great fame, the real stand out in this one is Thora Birch...who since has had a respectable but much more low profile career in pictures. The script also is very nice, with some interesting characters. I particularly thought the art teacher (Illeana Douglass) was fascinating...mostly because she was so very, very monumentally flawed as a human being. But it also suffers a bit because it's so very hard to care about these young ladies...at least until much later in the film. It would be easy to dislike them and just turn off the picture...which would be a mistake. A challenging and odd film...but worth seeing if you are patient and are looking for something different.

GHOST WORLD / (2001) **** (out of four)

For those of us who tire of standard teen movies, here's the film to brighten our day. It's a monkey wrench in the cranks of the tedious genre that features actors in their mid-twenties portraying stereotypical high-school characters shamelessly indulging predictable plots of frivolous romance. Where most movies set in high schools find resolve in romantics, "Ghost World" dares to be different.

Yet it contains all the usual ingredients-aimless main characters, one-dimensional side characters, high school graduation, moronic parents, sexual revelations, a romance-but it tastes different. This movie doesn't believe high school is the root of youth complications; it knows that school isn't where the confusion lies-it's after graduation when the complexities begin.

The movie opens as a high school senior dances along with a music video. Sounds like a typical teenager? Well, not really. The music this girl listens to isn't exactly mainstream. Nothing about Enid (Thora Birch from "American Beauty") is ordinary.

The same goes for her best friend, Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson). She is slightly more focused than the aimless Enid, but, as they graduate from high school in the opening scenes, neither of them know what they want out of life.

Rebecca and Enid find interesting people to follow, exploit, and embarrass, just for their own leisure, but even this loses its edge. Making the most (or least) of their situation, the girls stumble upon an outstandingly pathetic personal ad. As a joke, they respond. However, when they meet this man, Enid becomes infatuated with him.

In their post high school days, Enid and Rebecca find themselves slowly drifting apart. Rebecca is eager to get an apartment and get on with her life, while Enid lives by the day, following one infatuation after another. As their attitudes gradually change from cynical to sober, Enid and Rebecca's emerging differences become blatantly obvious, but painfully realized.

"Ghost World" refers to the world in which these characters live, a town slowly being overcome by shopping malls and coffee shops; a town that slowly loses its distinctions and becomes a ghost of what it once was.

My small town of Mason, MI speaks for itself. Once a minuscule farming suburb of the state's capital, it's now a breeding ground for new subdivisions, factories, stores, gas stations, trailer parks, and businesses. Before you know it, it will be a densely populated city like the capital itself.

"Ghost World" makes harsh points, but it never loses its sense of humor. Enid is so full of bitter cynicism that we have to laugh. She indulges the dialogue. It's often tactlessly frank, savoring every opportunity to bash, thrash, ridicule, or insult anyone or anything for any reason.

Society tends to repress our caustic desire to insult a fellow man, but "Ghost World" doesn't hesitate. It takes a lot of risks, but never steps in the wrong direction. It connects us with these characters. They are so casually antisocial that we can't help but to love them. At times, the movie doesn't require dialogue. It simply examines the character's surroundings. We get to know these people so well, we know exactly what they're thinking before they say it. They are a part of our instincts to react on impulse.

But a character is only as good as the actor behind it. "Ghost World" features enormously engaging performances. Brad Renfro gives his nobody store clerk a raw blandness. Illeana Douglas injects a kind of controlled eccentricity into her role as an art teacher. Steve Buscemi creates a hopeless record player collector out of repressed emotion, and lack thereof.

Scarlett Johansson gives Rebecca a dry, depressed mood. Thora Birch steals the whole show with a straightforward, fearless performance. Although the movie never defines the relationship between Enid and Rebecca, the actors themselves make it clear. They create an enticing charisma that gradually turns to an awkward tension.

"Ghost World" captures part of our journey from childhood to adulthood with poetic grace and cynical wit. Though it's not really a coming-of-age film, where a young character finally takes a place in the world. Enid never finds her place, decides her future, or chooses a path. By the end of the story, she simply becomes aware of her possible options. This movie is just the beginning of her story.

If on day you ever wondered where it all started for Scarlett Johansson in film, before her regular Oscar nods and the well-established Marcel hero Black Widow, the archives would take you to North, a 1994 comedy-drama starring Elijah Wood, but one of her first leading roles was in Ghost World alongside Thora Birch - two late teens at the time, they rocked in Terry Zwigoff's production, proving a significant indication of what's to come for both actors in.

The story of neo-cool Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) who, faced with graduation from high school, take a hard look at the world they wryly observe and decide what they really want. When Enid takes an interest in the offbeat Seymour (Steve Buscemi) and Rebecca focuses her attention on their mutual romantic fixation Josh (Brad Renfro), the girls' friendship is forever changed.

An eerie tone echoed through the narrative as we seemingly await the big punchline breakthrough which explodes to heighten the tension and develop the storyline, however, the film cleverly probes and anticipates its audience into a spiral of uncertainty and doubt. Adapted from the novel of the same name, Zwigoff ensures that the storybook feel is still present and acts as an enticing mechanism to achieving the act of conveying the movie's key message.

The idea of casting Steve Buscemi is genius, providing contrasts to the two protagonists, his character is ageing and lonesome, in light of the two youthful best friends the three bond in an unlikely fashion, though musical references in a time of prevalent anthems of the early 2000s / late 90s is a relatable, appropriate feature of the pictures excellence.

Ghost World is an ambiguous watch, which will leave you questioning the realms of fantasy and reality, an immersive, thrilling watch perfect for indulging away from the sameness of everyday life.

Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) are best friends having difficulties in social attitude with other people. After graduating in high-school, they decide to get a job and rent a house of their own. However, Enid need to attend the Arts summer school to graduate and the unsociable behavior of Enid makes her lose her job. Meanwhile, they play a prank with Seymour (Steve Buscemi), a middle-age collector of long-plays record that feels also difficulties of relationship, and Seymour and Enid become friends. Along the days, Enid reaches maturity and a different view of life.

"Ghost World" is an excellent low-budget cult-movie nominated for Oscar in the category of Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published and awarded in another twenty-five (25) prizes plus twenty-four (24) nominations in different festivals. The caustic and mature adolescent-coming-to-age story is centered in the weird and rebel Enid facing and overcoming the need to join the real world after the high-school period, and is brilliantly directed by Terry Zwigoff, who also writes the wonderful screenplay with Daniel Clowes. The performance of Thora Birch, probably in her best role, also deserved a nomination to the Oscar. Scarlett Johansson, Steve Buscemi and the supporting cast are also awesome. I really loved "Ghost World" a lot, and I would like to thank my great movie-lover friend Ricardo that recommended this gem. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Ghost World – Aprendendo a Viver" / a.k.a. "Mundo Cão" ("Ghost World – Leaning to Live" / "Dog's World")

Ghost World is the anti John Hughes teen movies of the 1980s. The type of movies Hughes made such as The Breakfast Club, Some KInd of Wonderful, Pretty in Pink which were not quite as alternative or radical as many initially thought.

Ghost World sets out its stall in the opening credits with a groovy dance scene from a 1960s Bollywood film. Enid (Thora Birch) is mimicking those moves.

At the graduation ceremony at High School. Enid and best friend Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) make fun of a student who was disabled in a car crash. Enid liked her more when she was an alcoholic and a drug addict. Now she is little Miss Perfect in a wheelchair.

Enid and Rebecca think they are too smart and choose to be outsiders with their piercing barbs at everyone they meet. After high school they have no plans for college or a career.

It is Enid who really is a misfit. Rebecca isn more conventionally pretty, gets a job in a coffee shop and plans to move into an apartment.

Enid does not realise that the best friends are drifting apart. Enid cannot hold down a job in a popcorn stand in a cinema.

When Enid and Rebecca decide to play a trick on a dorky loner loser Seymour (Steve Buscemi.) Enid discovers that he really is a kind of kindred spirit.

Seymour likes old records, vintage art posters and he works as an executive in some fried chicken outfit. His passion for art gives Enid an idea about her art class that she needs to do at summer school.

Enid also tries to hook up Seymour with a girlfriend when she originally set him up with a fake date for a laugh.

Directed by documentary maker Terry Zwigoff. Ghost World takes a layered look at the life of teenagers. It has a cult reputation simply because it knows that there are no easy answers to growing up.

However I did regard both Enid and Rebecca as self absorbed narcissists. They were too consumed in their own smart ass view of the world. They had no empathy for anyone else. At least Enid shifted a little with Seymour but then became jealous when he did find someone.

The best performance was from Buscemi who is the one character who has a heart tom give but no takers.

I love this movie. It is so simple. Just an episode from the lives of two girls who have just finished high school. Nothing fancy, nothing spectacular, or unusual. Just a situation that we've all been through, but shown through a different set of eyes.

The performances by Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson (hottie), and Steve Buscemi are very good and the story is heart warming and often very funny.

Movies like this are seldom and Hollywood tends to make it's films unnecessarily spectacular these days. It sometimes works, but is often quite ridiculous. Think - Michael Bay.

This is film is highly recommended to anyone who cares about life. 10/10

Rated R: profanity

Ghost World is endearingly odd, a dryly funny satire of the awkward phase after high school and before adulthood. I greatly enjoyed it; my partner strongly disliked it, finding it awkwardand unfunny. It's certainly not a movie for everyone, and I suspect you'll know in the first half hour whether it's for you.

The movie is about Enid and Becky, two high school friends who seem to own the anti-cool clique and have no real plans for life after graduation other than to get an apartment together - though Enid has not officially graduated and needs to take a remedial art class in the summer in order to finish out her credits. (There's more than a passing resemblance to the Daria and Jane relationship, for those who remember that show.) Becky seems to be handling the transition better: she gets a job and picks out an apartment. Enid instead seems insistent on taking an apathetic, hipster approach towards everything and everyone, deeming it all so lame as to be unworthy of effort, other than her affection for Seymour, a dorky record collector many, many years her senior who has few friends and even fewer romantic prospects.

Without ever being in your face politically, Ghost World has great social commentary on art, relationships, and consumer culture. It's a weird movie, and you'll either love it or roll your eyes at it, but I hope it's the former.

Thora Birch (surely the perfect poster girl for all nerds, male and female) stars as Enid, an intelligent, artistic and sensitive girl who becomes friends with obsessive record collector Seymour (Steve Buscemi) after playing a mean joke on him. As her relationship with Seymour develops, her bond with school-friend Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) begins to crumble.

Akin in many ways to introspective indie fare such as Lost in Translation, Napolean Dynamite, American Beauty, Secretary, and Sideways, Ghost World is a quirky, meandering, satirical study of social outcasts in a world that demands conformity, and, as such, isn't going to find much of a following with your average Blockbuster crowd.

Those hoping to see a laugh-out-loud comedy should definitely seek entertainment elsewhere: although there are some painfully accurate insights into the lives of its likable losers that will bring a wry smile to the faces of those who don't quite qualify as normal, the droll humour will leave Mr and Mrs. Average Joe straight faced and reaching for the off switch.

And anyone looking for a film with a feel-good factor should also hit the stop button: if you're not in the mood for a film that takes a leisurely, measured approach to a tale about doomed relationships and uncertainty about the future, you'll find the film rather annoying.

There are those, however, for whom the film will definitely resonate and no doubt become a firm favourite: disaffected youths, geeks, losers, and weirdos who are able to identify with the main characters' lack of direction in life and sense of confusion at the world around them. They (or should that be 'we'?) will be the ones to fully appreciate this subtle and poignant cinematic journey of self-discovery, which delivers excellent performances from its talented cast (Buscemi, in particular, is superb), confident direction from Terry Zwigoff, and a memorably daft character who sports a mean mullet and a pair of nunchuks!

The first time I saw this movie I f***ing went insane! Best movie I had ever seen! I saw it on the first day of school that year, so it started me off pumped. It meant so much to me, and accentuated and made sense of many parts of my life. I cannot explain how close I am to this movie. My best fiend saw it with me too, and we have been a lot closer since then.

It was very smartly written, realistic as hell- not necessarily the actions, but the feelings behind the actions taken in this movie.

It is basically about this girl named Enid (Thora Birch) who has just graduated high school, and doesn't know where her life is going. She quickly discriminates against others, though I think that most of the time, she is justified. Enid and her friend Rebecca are spending the whole movie thinking about getting an apartment, but Enid procrastinates. She basically stops caring about anything that will help her in life, and entertains herself by hating everything that she can. This makes her depressed, and she loves it. Enid becomes involved with an older jazz/ragtime enthusiast named Seymour (Steve Buscemi) who has issues relating to others. Enid likes/ is intrigued by him, and feels that he can relate to her better than anyone else that she knows in her world. Seymour is her drug. As a drama, Ghost World was great. The first half of the movie, though, was one of the funniest, darkest setups I have ever seen. A lot of sarcastic humor that many would call ______ist, but whatever. It's got some of the best one liners I've ever heard. I will not go on and on about the ending, because other reviewers have overly voiced their 10 line opinions about how it's so good that it's gone past bad and back to good again or really "sucky and artsy". About the ending, I will say this- It is not a normal Hollywood ending. That's good. Hollywood is redundant.

"A tampon in a teacup?"

"It's my response to a women's right to choose. It's something I feel super strongly about!"

Teen movies are either great or absolute trash, there is nothing in between. Fortunately "Ghost World" is one of the great ones you should absolutely watch!

The story is original and very interesting. In fact, I nearly enjoyed every scene of it. Steve Buscemi is excellent and the two girls are aswell. The humour is great and the 90 minutes length fits perfect.

The only part I have to criticise is the ending, which could have been a bit longer.

Neithertheless this is a movie you should definitely watch if you like teen comedies. The cast is excellent, the story is original and the girls are hot. What could you possible want more?

Like an overlong episode of Seinfeld, but with less plot and zero punchlines, I kept waiting anxiously for the movie to begin. Maybe there's some particular tone to the "Ghost World" comic that I completely missed out on, but this is the most rambling and incoherent script that's been made in quite a while. (Snippets of plot, like the Batman hat or the controversial chicken-art, simply disappear rather than being wrapped together.)

You can easily manage to forget all this, however, by admiring the scenery: Steve Buscemi, as well as most of the supporting characters, are quite entertaining. But it felt like watching the setting for a really good movie...and the good movie never showed up. Thora Birch's acting? It seemed like she mastered the don't-make-a-facial-expression schtick in "American Beauty" and pushed it into overdrive here - I was unconvinced by her.

And finally, the reason why my love for this movie was limited from the beginning is that I DIDN'T LIKE the main characters. Were we supposed to be charmed by Enid's consistent, unwavering self-centeredness? Don't get me wrong, I think it can be funny to show a couple of high-school grads driving around and being bitchy to everyone. With "Ghost World," however, I just wanted them to shut up. Maybe if, at some point during the movie, they had actually DONE something I would have felt differently.

Looks like IMDb's rating is sitting at 8.7 currently. I'm feeling very lonely down here at the bottom of the 10-scale, I need some friends! Come on now, say it with me: This movie is not, that, good.