Ghost World Reviews

A welcome, refreshing tale of two best friends coping with life after high school. Thora Birch is mesmerising as Enid, the main protagonist who pours scorn on fast food, contemporary music and those who don't make her grade. If you're tired of movies where good looking guys fall for perfect girls, usually followed by predictable third acts that pan out exactly the way you thought, then Ghost World gives you a fresh spin on that formula. Steve Buscemi is as great as ever as the geeky record collector while Bob Balaban is delightful as Enid's ineffectual dad. Good direction by Crumb's Terry Zwigoff makes this well worth renting.

Quirky and original

Excellent little movie with the ever-wonderful Scarlet Johanssen in an early role.

Just when you think the film is going to move back into Hollywood-style wish fulfilment it always veers away.

Worth renting.

Impeccable

This is the kind of movie that makes you thank The Lord for the Lumiere brothers; from its opening scenes through to the final frame Ghost World exudes excellence.

That it made just over 4 million dollars at the box office is nothing short of criminal; you can keep your soulless Star Wars prequels, dire MI2 and brain-dead Pearl Harbour, I wouldn't swap this movie experience for all the meaningless popcorn movies in the world.

That Scarlett Johansson was a mere 16 when she made this movie is in the same same league as Jodie Foster's 14 year-old turn in Taxi Driver. Thora Birch is, however the main character as Enid, who together with Johanssen's Rebecca are the non-conforming school misfits.

The film starts with their graduation and unfolds with an examination of their tentative steps into the world of work where laconic quips and 'out there' garb is likely to get you fired on your first day. Enid finds herself increasingly drawn to Seymour (Steve Buscemi), a middle-aged music enthusiast, and her whole world order comes shattering to the ground when events beyond her control turn her life upside-down.

A rare treasurable gem with a script to die for.

Amazing!

This movie had me in a trance first time I watched it (I have now watched it more than once!). You can view the movie itself from many different angles.

The first time I watched it I didn't really notice the amazing influence of music on all the characters in the movie.

If you are after a very deep movie that will have you thinking for a while, then Ghost World is the one you should click RENT on now!

A great movie that you need to watch!

Should be on the National Curriculum.

Very funny, dark and acerbic rites of passage with fine performances throughout.

Captures with great subtlety the complications and contradictions of growing up, figuring out who you are and hardest of all - knowing what to do about it.

Enjoyable

I wasn't sure what to expect from this as I hadn't heard much via the media.

It's about two school friends who once finished college are unsure of the roles they must take. One (Johanssen) takes a job in as a waitress and moves into her own flat, the other (Birch) follows a stranger, falls in love with him and the two friends drift apart.

Not much happens and there are not many laughs. This is a semi-serious view on some very sad but ordinary lives. I really enjoyed it and took away more than I thought I would.

Uber Cool

If you, like me, loved Daria the animated tales of a 'strange' high-school girl, you will love this movie. It is a great left-of-the-middle coming of age/teen movie which stars the delightful Thora Birch and a young (much more convincing than her latest films) Scarlett Johansson as two girls who are about to leave high-school. Instead of following the predicted route of college, they have decided to get jobs and find a pad to rent together.

Whilst Scarlett's character gets quietly on with this, Thora's character becomes distracted by the elusively charming in a nerdy, older guy kinda way character played by Steve Buscemi (very underated actor). Watch it!

Surprisingly Good?

For once the professional blurb actually does this film justice. It's a very realistic but never depressing portrayal of that moment when the reality of life hits. All the actors manage to explore a variety of emotions realistically without edging towards melodrama. Simply fabulous. A film that deserves to be viewed more than once to truly appreciate the depth.

BLUES HAMMER!

A great little film with wonderful performances all round.

Steve Buscemi excels as the shy introvert with an edge (see the final scene after the credits)!

One to watch again and again.

An excellent translation of the Graphic Novel.

Based on the graphic novel by Daniel Clowes, this film is a refreshing and witty illustration of the antics of two small town teenage girls. It is both hilarious and also very touching at times. The humour perfectly compliments a serious and sensitive storyline about coming of age, instead of being a baseless joy ride of cheap thrills, which it so easily could have been. The Director Terry Zwigoff has done a superb job of translating the original story for the big screen.

Beautifully acted from start to finish by both Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson, along with the mousey genius of Steve Buscemi, there is literally never a dull moment from start to finish. It is so wonderful to see a film that focuses on just a small part of a small suburban town and elaborates on that instead of trying to mean all things to all men, and ultimately not adding up to much at all. It is a well sustained microscopic view of Suburban America and a very entertaining exercise in the social interactions therein.

I thoroughly recommend this little gem of a movie.