Ghost World
"A Stunner Of A Film... A Winner!" -Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
They're high school graduates - and the world's got hell to pay! Hot new talents Thora Birch (American Beauty) and Scarlett Johansson (The Horse Whisperer) "sneak into your heart and stay there" (Rolling Stone) in this "uproariously funny" (Premiere) comedy from the acclaimed director of Crumb. With Brad Renfro (Deuces Wild), Illeana Douglas (Stir of Echoes) and Steve Buscemi (Fargo) in "the best role of his career" (Movieline), this "whip-smart comedy" is "a surprise gem" (People)!
When their classmates head for college, Enid (Birch) and Rebecca (Johansson) focus their energies on tormenting those around them! From a goofy convenience store clerk (Renfro) to an eccentric art teacher (Douglas), these two saboteurs wreak havoc on all those who cross their paths. But when they zero in on an oddball loner (Buscemi) looking for Miss Right, their seemingly innocent meddling threatens to shatter one of their hearts... not to mention their lifelong friendship!
Member Reviews
The portrait of a hipster - Benson
A coming of age movie about two teenage girls. Thora Birch and Scarlett Johanson are two young ladies who have just graduated from High School and are planning on moving in together.
Thora Birch really shines here as the hipster who rejects anything popular and is constantly looking for a scene to hang out in. She cannot take anything seriously and is only looking for ways to have fun and screw around. This becomes a problem when she is expected to grow up and get a job.Fantastic film - Wentai
This film launched the careers of two women, but I had thought at the time that Thora Birch would go on to be the more succesful one. Alas, the beautiful Scarlet Johannson is in the news every day while the equally talented Thora Birch is rarely heard of.
This film was really great -- a buddy buddy film between two girls, two friends who are drifting apart. Watch for the final scene at the end; it's a metaphor for the relationship between the two women. Buddy films are enjoyable because they give us a glimpse into a friendship that perhaps we can't always have.
Having had little but disapointing friendships in my own life, and having seen an almost complete lack of loyalty from them, I find these films showcase something that I wanted but could never quite get; clever, loyal, wonderful friends. Alas it seems that in real life it's never quite as good as the movies make it out to be.
These two girls grow up rather quickly, facing a certain ostracism by their peers simply for being different. They rely on each other and make it through life, only to find themselves pulled in different directions as highschool draws to a close.
One wants to work and rent a decent house; the other wants to drift though life jobless, touching the lives of others, experiencing things from their point of view but never having to face the drudgery of life in the rat race.
At its core this warm film of friendship can be depressing and yet if you can see the love that friends have for each other, you can see their lives are uplifting and full of potential rather than depressing.
I think.
Zip and enjoy.Quasi-teen Classic - Pilchards
I think that those who love this film are the ones who truly identify with it. Enid is so likeable (to me) because it is easy to relate to her and the feelings of isolation she struggles with.
Most people either love this film or hate it. This is the only role in which I've enjoyed watching Thora Birch. Although her acting has been criticized, that quirky awkwardness completes the character, in my opinion. Plus, we get to witness one of Scarlett Johanssen's better performances (a role of substance), before she apparently turned into a mindless drone of the entertainment industry.
Ghost World is ultimately a coming-of-age film that describes perfectly the pains of growing into an 'adult' environment that seems hostile and ridiculous. There is an underlying melancholy that adds depth to the film and beautifully parallels the quirky indie vibe that makes Ghost World so fun to watch. This movie is hilariously funny if you like dry wit, subtle parody and irony (it's a little bit difficult to classify, but you'll either like the humour or you won't).
If you enjoy the film, I recommend reading the comic book if you haven't already. Most of the jokes are taken directly from the book, not to mention most of the plot (obviously). On that note, I was highly impressed with the visual treatment of the material. The film captures the vibe of the comic book so perfectly.
Member Reviews
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The portrait of a hipster - Benson
A coming of age movie about two teenage girls. Thora Birch and Scarlett Johanson are two young ladies who have just graduated from High School and are planning on moving in together.
Thora Birch really shines here as the hipster who rejects anything ...Fantastic film - Wentai
This film launched the careers of two women, but I had thought at the time that Thora Birch would go on to be the more succesful one. Alas, the beautiful Scarlet Johannson is in the news every day while the equally talented Thora Birch is rarely heard of.
This ...Quasi-teen Classic - Pilchards
I think that those who love this film are the ones who truly identify with it. Enid is so likeable (to me) because it is easy to relate to her and the feelings of isolation she struggles with.
Most people either love this film or hate it. This is ...