Review of Ghost World (2001) by Rameshwar N — 27 Dec 2011

Though treads on a familiar path, never come across a teen movie with so much wit and introspection into teen angst and all of this done in a surprisingly lighter tone.

Enid (Thora Birch) and Becky (Scarlett Johansson) are childhood friends who just finished high school and are planning to move into an apartment. Both are mischievous and rebellious, Enid more than Becky and decides to call on a personal ad what seemed to be from a lonely man. They ask the ad placer to come to a specific restaurant and enjoy the disappointment of the man one Seymour (Steve Buscemi) who waits and leaves. Enid gets interested in Seymour and gets to know him and becomes friends. On her personal front, she is conflicted with her own ideas and makes some poor decisions making her lose the scholarship, Becky, Seymour's friendship and a chance to move into the apartment. How she copes with all this forms the entire story.

Without knowing anything about the movie the initial 15 minutes hinted this as a girl version of Superbad. It changes soon getting more intimate on what is happening in a teenager's mind who is resorting to pride when there is a feeling of being left out. Scarlett Johansson looks stunning but she does not have a lot of role here as Thora Birch is the star. Though there is no scope here for great acting, she does a terrific job portraying the troubled teenager. The director deals with this delicate subject with steady and confident hands never toning down the spirit of a teenager. Buscemi does his character with ease as a lonely weird stranger.

Never boring or awkward (as most teenage movies tend to), tells a simple story in the most effective way it is possible to.