Ghost World (B or 3/4 stars)
Based on a comic book, 'Ghost World', directed by Terry Zwigoff, tells the story of 2 social outsiders, ultra-cool Enid (Thora Birch) & Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson). After graduating high school, they decide to play a mean prank on a middle-aged geek named Seymour (Steve Buscemi). But the prank evolves into something meaningful for all the parties involved. Out of high school, the girls are forced to take a hard look at the real world they look down on & how they can fit in with it. What a bizarre little movie. It's funny, it's quirky, it's sad. I very much enjoyed the performances. I'm just not bowled over.
High School graduation: best buddies Enid & Rebecca are ready to tackle the real world head-on. Plans to get jobs & rent an apartment together are in order. However, though they were extremely close in school, the stresses over everyday life post-school begin to wear on their friendship. Rebecca gets a decent job at Starbucks, rents a standard apartment, & has moderately-high hopes for a future. Enid, however, is finding it hard to center herself.
Due to her anti-social behavior, she finds it hard to keep a job (sometimes more than 1 day). She's still living with her dad. And she's taking vacuous art classes. On top of this all, she eventually semi-dates the much-older man she initially pranks. This man (a social outsider, himself) is Seymour; a gentle jazz-lover who collects old vinyl records. So with 2 separate life paths, one wonders if Rebecca & Enid will ever bridge the gap that has opened btwn. them since graduation. Who matures? Who doesn't? You may be surprised.
The journey that these 2 eccentric characters go on is both familiar & risky. Because they are so specific, believable & nuanced, it makes for a very watchable film. Depression creeps in & out of their lives, but there's more than enough dark humor to keep the film afloat. For me, the film captures that weird limbo that most people go through btwn. senior yr. high school & adulthood. And it's a nice film to watch for those friends who feel like their only connection to the outside world is each other. Scarlett Johansson is stellar. Steve Buscemi is intriguing in a new role for him - a shy romantic type. He makes for an appealing loser. And Thora Birch really comes into her own here (after a great performance in American Beauty. Clearly she's at ease in the teen-angst role). Even though she is not the warmest human being, we become involved in the story because we care about her the most in the end.
And speaking of the end, it's left ambiguous for the viewer. It's mysterious, subtle, even kind of hopeful. I generally like movies that are open-ended, especially if there's a hint of optimism. It's just what I like. The ending went a long way in helping improve my feeling of the movie, as a whole. There are segments I was not wild about, or did not find riveting. Plenty of portions are bleak, for bleak's sake. But Ghost World's interesting characters, smart dialogue, integration of actual comic book visuals, satire, & dark comedy 'does' make this a timid winner.
High School graduation: best buddies Enid & Rebecca are ready to tackle the real world head-on. Plans to get jobs & rent an apartment together are in order. However, though they were extremely close in school, the stresses over everyday life post-school begin to wear on their friendship. Rebecca gets a decent job at Starbucks, rents a standard apartment, & has moderately-high hopes for a future. Enid, however, is finding it hard to center herself.
Due to her anti-social behavior, she finds it hard to keep a job (sometimes more than 1 day). She's still living with her dad. And she's taking vacuous art classes. On top of this all, she eventually semi-dates the much-older man she initially pranks. This man (a social outsider, himself) is Seymour; a gentle jazz-lover who collects old vinyl records. So with 2 separate life paths, one wonders if Rebecca & Enid will ever bridge the gap that has opened btwn. them since graduation. Who matures? Who doesn't? You may be surprised.
The journey that these 2 eccentric characters go on is both familiar & risky. Because they are so specific, believable & nuanced, it makes for a very watchable film. Depression creeps in & out of their lives, but there's more than enough dark humor to keep the film afloat. For me, the film captures that weird limbo that most people go through btwn. senior yr. high school & adulthood. And it's a nice film to watch for those friends who feel like their only connection to the outside world is each other. Scarlett Johansson is stellar. Steve Buscemi is intriguing in a new role for him - a shy romantic type. He makes for an appealing loser. And Thora Birch really comes into her own here (after a great performance in American Beauty. Clearly she's at ease in the teen-angst role). Even though she is not the warmest human being, we become involved in the story because we care about her the most in the end.
And speaking of the end, it's left ambiguous for the viewer. It's mysterious, subtle, even kind of hopeful. I generally like movies that are open-ended, especially if there's a hint of optimism. It's just what I like. The ending went a long way in helping improve my feeling of the movie, as a whole. There are segments I was not wild about, or did not find riveting. Plenty of portions are bleak, for bleak's sake. But Ghost World's interesting characters, smart dialogue, integration of actual comic book visuals, satire, & dark comedy 'does' make this a timid winner.