Ghost World (2001)

I knew this film from kazillion years ago. I did I wanted to see it but kinda doubt it bcs I was worried it'd turned out to be a cult, reaaaally weird, completely random film. But then an itsy bitsy voice inside of me said "Ah maybe, maybe not Indah, you totally gotta see it. You'll thank me if it turns out to be as great as Juno." As  I expected, the itsy bitsy voice inside of me was wrong, so.. no 'thank you' to you mademoiselle. 

Ghost World (2001) 

IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
Director: Terry Zwigoff 
Screenplay: Daniel Clowes, Terry Zwigoff
Based on the book: Ghost World by Daniel Clowes 
Starring: Thora Birch, Scarlett Johannson, Steve Buscemi, Brad Renfro, Stacey Travis
Nominated 1 Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2002


Meet Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johannson), two young social outsiders who just got graduated from high school. As most social outsiders do, they hate society. Uhm no, they pretty much hate everything, like literally EVERYTHING. They hate high school popular girls, a stand-up comedian on tv, just everything they see or hear will be stuffs they mock and loathe about. Especially Enid.

Enid and Becca mocks everyone after graduation.

One day, after seeing an ad which a lonely middle-aged man called Seymour (Steve Buscemi) asks a woman he recently met to contact him, Enid and Becca decided to make a prank call pretending to be the woman and inviting him to meet her at a diner, and when he goes there, the two girls secretly watch and make fun of him. Discover that Enid feels sorry for him, she wants to see if he's okay by stalking him, then gradually becomes his friend after series of meetups and matchmaking to women around the neighborhood. 

Seymour and Enid shares thoughts.

At this point, the film starts focusing on Enid and Seymour's relationship, while Becca turns to be more mature person. She shares different things than she used to be which slowly tears them apart. Then out of the blue, Dana (Stacey Travis), the woman Seymour had written to in the personal ad, called him and wanted to meet him. Sure things change the whole Enid-Seymour's odd relationship that forces Enid to deal her confusions towards her immaturity.

Le Review 
Though I am an absolute sucker for teen and coming-of-age film, like Submarine, Donnie Darko, The Virgin Suicides, but it's not the same for Ghost World. The thing is, this film is cult, definitely. Most people will see this as an extremely bizarre yet pointless film. However, there are also some people -minority cult film fans- who loves this kinda film because it's non-mainstream, unique and out of the box. They apt consider it as a work of art for it's uniqueness.

In my opinion, I personally don't really like this film because it doesn't have a strong plot or a strong ending. For few people maybe, will see this "Well this is what makes Ghost World different", but unfortunately not for me. I do I love cult films but not in this way, I just don't see what's the point of this film and what message does it trying to deliver to the audience. And I hate the ending as well. I really do. It's just... pointless to me. 

Nevertheless, Ghost World still has charms. The young Scarlett Johannson looks very different in Ghost World than what we used to see her in blockbuster movies nowadays. Then a quick appearance of Josh, played by Brad Renfro, totally 'illuminate' this dark themed film.

Anyway, I will recommend Ghost World only for a moviefreak who will watch just any film, and for those hipsters who's into cult, weird and social awkwardness kinda film.

Final verdict for Ghost World: 6.9/10

Fyi: I just googled Brad Renfro. Apparently, he died from a heroin overdose 5 years ago. In commemoration of his death, Mark Foster of Foster the People who was his roommate, had written a song about his death called "Downtown." Ah so sad :(

Here's link of the song.