(Expanded & Re-edited on 8/2/04)

If life at high school sucked, then it’s really nothing compared to what happens after. Sure, kids go to college after that but what happens when you meet new people and in the process lose the people you cared for back in high school. Comic book writer Daniel Clowes captured the bleakness of post-high school life through the eyes of two teenage girls in his comic series “Ghost World”. The comic gained a cult popularity that included “Crumb” filmmaker Terry Zwigoff. Zwigoff and Clowes decided to adapt the comic book series into a film of the same name that captures the bleakness of teenagers and adults in a world, many of them don’t fit in with.

The movie for “Ghost World” is about two young teenage girls, who just graduated from high school, finding themselves starting to drift apart after one of them encounters a lonely, eccentric adult. During their aimless journey, they try to find the strange eccentricities of their dreary suburban home while pondering what to do with their own lives. Leading the cast in “Ghost World” are Thora Birch as the sullen, arty Enid and Scarlett Johansson as the prettier, bored Rebecca. The film’s view of two young girls trying to find a life is one of 2001’s excellent films as it includes well-rounded cast of veterans and younger actors like Brad Renfro, Teri Garr, David Cross, Bob Balaban, Illeana Douglas, Dave Sheridan, Tom McGowan, and Steve Buscemi. “Ghost World” is one of the most eccentric and tender films of 2001.

The film begins with Enid and Rebecca at their graduation as they watch a handicapped speaker talk about their upcoming path after high school. Enid and Rebecca unfortunately feel they don’t have a future after high school. They’re forced to go to some stupid post-high school party while Enid is forced to return to school to pass an art subject to gain a diploma. After high school, Enid and Rebecca walk through the town’s dreariness. They encounter two old strange people Enid convinced are Satanists, an old man (Charles J. Peterson) sitting at an unused bus stop, and a waiter who looks like Weird Al Yankovic. Enid then finds an ad for a guy looking for a girl as she and Rebecca call the number and pretend to be some blonde. They bring a gas station patron named Josh (Brad Renfro) to a diner to see the guy they called by annoying him as they watch a man named Doug (Dave Sheridan) p*ssing off Josh’s manager (Brian George). They go the diner and find a man named Seymour (Steve Buscemi) arrives as he waits for the woman but finds out he’s been duped.

Enid and Rebecca follow Seymour as they learn he’s some strange, eccentric guy who collects old vinyl records, particularly blues albums. Enid meanwhile is having problems at home as her dad (Bob Balaban) is thinking of dating again while she is forced to deal with some anti-Semite named John, who sold her some awful VHS tape and gives her sh*t for trying to look punk. Rebecca however, decides to get on with her life and find a job so she and Enid can get an apartment together. Enid is trying to find jobs while is taking a summer class with a quirky art teacher named Roberta (Illeana Douglas). Enid and Rebecca finally meet Seymour and his loser roommate Joe (Tom McGowan) as they sell records. Enid is entranced by one of the blues records Seymour sells her and starts to become interested in him as she and Rebecca goes to a strange party where Rebecca gets verbally harassed by a partygoer (David Cross).

Enid starts to hang out more with Seymour as he feels he really doesn’t fit in the world and is more used to obscure blues records available on vinyl. Enid wants to help him get a social life while Rebecca is now working at a Starbuck’s. Suddenly, the relationship between Enid and Rebecca starts to disintegrate as Enid eventually helps find Seymour a woman named Dana (Stacey Travis) who tries to make him dance to Ashford & Simpson’s “Solid As A Rock”. Enid however, finds Seymour’s new relationship to be very dull as she learns her dad is going out with his old girlfriend Maxine (Teri Garr). Enid too gets a job, briefly at a movie theater as a guy asks her if they sell beer and her response is “I wish” but gets fired. Suddenly, Enid is unhappy with Maxine being back in her father’s life while her friendship with Rebecca finally takes its toll and she comes to Seymour for help. Eventually, Enid ponders if she can find happiness.

While the film’s offbeat quirky humor mixed in with restrained drama brings an eccentric quality to the film, it’s the reason for “Ghost World” to become an independent film classic. With Daniel Clowes’ story and realist humor, the film’s title is really about the disintegration of Americana through the world of corporate America and its conformities. Terry Zwigoff brings in a vast, wonderful direction that is tightly constructed with wonderful cinematography from Affonso Beato. Helping with Zwigoff’s complex direction is a melancholic film score from composer David Kitay whose piano composition really gives the film movement and serves as another character. With production designer Edward T. McAvoy, the film’s look really brings that bleakness of post-20th Century America where the world and some of its individuals ends up conforming. Another great moment is the film’s artwork, notably from Sophie Crumb (daughter of Robert Crumb) who does the drawing for Enid’s book. While “Ghost World” might seem to be an off-the-wall comedy, it’s also a wonderful character study film, notably between Birch’s Enid and Johansson’s Rebecca.

The film’s supporting players really stand out from its cameo appearances from Ileana Douglas, David Cross, and Teri Garr to the hilarious performance from Dave Sheridan. Brad Renfro is also excellent in the role of Josh, who might seem as a clueless tormented figure who is used as a joke for Enid and Rebecca when really, he plays a secret crush that they don’t want to admit. Bob Balaban is excellent as Enid’s father for his straight performance to Birch’s offbeat performance while bringing a compassionate performance, even in scenes where he just doesn’t understand his daughter. With other smaller roles from Stacey Travis, Charles J. Peterson, Brian George, and Tom McGowan, the film has an overall stellar cast.

Of the film’s supporting performances, the best easily goes to Scarlett Johansson as the cynical, realist Rebecca who serves as a perfect foil to the downbeat Enid. With her quick-sarcasm, intellectual remarks, Johansson stands out among the entire cast with her restrained, mature performance. Especially since she came out of two amazing performances previously with 1996’s “Manny & Lo” and 1998’s “The Horse Whisperer”. With those two performances, Johansson comes to fruition with maturity by playing an 18-year old when at the time of making the film she was only 15. In the development of Rebecca throughout the film, we see Johansson not trying to make Rebecca conform to society but bringing a realism and maturity to the point that Enid couldn’t understand since she’s too much of a rebel while Rebecca just gave up on rebelling and moving forward.

Steve Buscemi is also brilliant in his performance as Seymour with his frustrated, oddball look while being a charming, romantic fellow. This was the closest thing to having Buscemi being a romantic lead but he has an off-the-wall humor that is so intriguing that it is remarkable, as he doesn’t mind being the butt of jokes. Plus, we see he’s the kind of guy that couldn’t fit in because of his hobbies or anything. Buscemi brought a depth and frustration that is loveable while he manages to carry great chemistry with Birch throughout the entire film while having a few intense, dramatic scenes with Johansson.

Thora Birch is the film’s most remarkable performance with her sympathetic, anti-establishment performance as Enid. Coming off a post-child stardom role in “American Beauty”, Birch brings a cynicism and attitude to Enid who is trying to find herself in the world. Birch also brings humor in her scenes where she and Johansson torment people quietly but as the film wears on, she realizes that she’s one of them and brings sadness to a role where she’s just lost. Especially in the film’s ending where things get really bizarre and nothing in the beginning of the film is the same anymore. Enid is a character that everyone could relate to, especially since not everyone wants a shoddy job or to conform to any kinds of stereotype. It’s overall Birch’s best performance to date.

***Updated DVD Tidbits on 8/2/04***

The 2002 DVD release that is 16:9 Widescreen format brings a lot of brilliance to the film, especially in its look. With its English, French, and Spanish subtitles and 5.1 Surround Sound, the film’s features don’t have much. Aside from a theatrical trailer of the film plus for its soundtrack, “The Princess Bride”, and a special edition of “The Terminator”. The special features also include four deleted and alternate scenes, which really don’t add much to the film. Two of them features hilarious moments between Brian George and Dave Sheridan while one involves Buscemi talking about a record and Ileana Douglas talking about an art thing she did. The best thing about the special features is the music video for “Jaan Pehechaan Ho” from the film “Gumnaam” in the 1960s and a making of feature with interviews from Zwigoff, Clowes, Birch, Johansson, Buscemi, and Brad Renfro where they all talk about the film and the comic book.

***End of DVD Tibdits***

While it’s not a great film to watch at first, as time goes on, “Ghost World” is truly a remarkable film that really pinpoints about the decline of American civilization through two teenagers and an oddball loner. With a great cast led by Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson, and Steve Buscemi, this film is truly a gem and it will easily stand out as an independent film classic. What is really surprising is that the film could’ve been terrible if Terry Zwigoff and Daniel Clowes were forced to polish the film’s confrontational dialogue for a major studio that wanted Jennifer Love Hewitt and Sarah Michelle Gellar for the roles. Thankfully, the offbeat Zwigoff refused to do that to convey a more independent spirit. For a movie that is realistic but funny, “Ghost World” is the movie to watch.

Related Reviews:

Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001):

http://www.epinions.com/content_118471757444

American Splendor (2003):

http://www.epinions.com/content_112193408644

Ghost World Screenplay Book (2001):

http://www.epinions.com/content_158561439364

Steve Buscemi Reviews:

Barton Fink (1991):

http://www.epinions.com/content_131158085252

Reservoir Dogs (1992):

http://www.epinions.com/content_146698702468

The Impostors (1998):

http://www.epinions.com/content_141733564036

Scarlett Johansson Reviews:

Manny & Lo (1996):

http://www.epinions.com/content_109962628740

Home Alone 3 (1997):

http://www.epinions.com/content_132750216836

The Horse Whisperer (1998):

http://www.epinions.com/content_120434691716

An American Rhapsody (2001):

http://www.epinions.com/content_112778645124

The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001):

http://www.epinions.com/content_112639446660

Eight Legged Freaks (2002):

http://www.epinions.com/content_126273883780

Lost in Translation (2003):

http://www.epinions.com/content_113414475396

Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003):

http://www.epinions.com/content_120964615812

The Perfect Score (2004):

http://www.epinions.com/content_128189369988



Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for Groups
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older