Review of Ghost World (2001) by Joe A — 17 May 2012

Quirky offbeat comedy tells of two friends (Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson) who walk to the beat of their own drum but need to find their direction after they graduate high school. Rebellious Enid (Birch) seems to be content to let things remain the same, despite being unhappy at home, while Becky (Johansson) decides they should move into their own place and get jobs.

While Becky's forward motion starts them growing apart, Enid's quest to amuse herself leads her to befriending a strange and lonely older man (Steve Buscemi). Ghost World is based on a graphic novel and as directed by Crumb director Terry Zwigoff it is a charming and sometimes funny study of two offbeat young girls at a crucial point in their lives.

Birch and Johansson are good and work well together thought the film focuses more on the cynical Enid and her sarcastic view of those around her. Buscemi is charming as the nerdy and shy Seymour. He succeeds in making the character sympathetic and likeable when he could have been very creepy.

Zwigoff takes us on a strange journey as these characters find their own paths through their interaction with each other and while some may not like the ambiguous end, it does fit the tone of the film.

Not for everyone but, for those who enjoy the offbeat and different, Ghost World is an entertaining little movie.