Movie Review - Ghost World
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2001 / 111 Minutes / R
Reviewed by Dale Nauertz
You know how sometimes you kinda want to see a movie, but you never quite get your ass motivated enough to hit the theater? And then you see that movie on video and you are kicking yourself for not going to see it in the theater in the first place? Well, “Ghost World” is one of those films.
“Ghost World” is a bizarre, realistic, cleverly nuanced, subtly hilarious and insightful film about two girls who have just graduated high school (Thora Birch and Scarlett Johanssen) and have no idea what they want to do next. They don’t want to go to college. They don’t really want a job all that badly. But they feel they must do something. To pass the days, they spend their time following people, teasing and taunting their friend Josh (Brad Renfro) and generally screwing with everyone around them in some fashion or another. One day, after reading a personal ad, they decide to screw with seeming loser Seymour (Steve Buscemi). Complications ensue from there.
I don’t want to go into any further depth than that, because the way this film rolls forward at its own speed is one of its deceptive charms. At first, the girls seem little bitter little creeps, but once you get to know and understand them, you find that there are deeper layers under there. I love the way that relationships play out in this film, particularly between Thora Birch and Steve Buscemi, both of whom give the finest performances of their careers. Scarlett is also quite good, nailing her role, but she doesn’t have the demands that the other two have. They are fascinating oddballs and screen time just flies by as you watch them. It’s so nice to see Buscemi play a real person in a film, rather than just some weaselly little moron embroiled in a kidnapping scheme or something. And Thora Birch is simply outstanding. She’s one of the few names I can think of that deserves to grace a Best Actress of 2001 list. Her character makes a lot of frustrating choices, but all of them seem realistic. I know a couple girls who seem like Enid (Thora) and they do things like that. They are enigmas, challenging and provocative girls who you never quite understand (then again, fellas, when was the last time you understood a girl?) but who never cease to draw your attention and, at times, affection.
I had a couple problems with the film. Well, okay, I can only think of one. I was uncertain of the ending. But, then again, it’s the sort of film that is hard to end. And I can’t think of a way this film could have wrapped itself up that would have been totally satisfying. This film isn’t about satisfaction. It’s about challenging you. It’s hilarious and painful all at once, and you might find yourself rewinding it and watching it all over again. There isn’t a single character that is without three dimensions. “Ghost World” is marvelous, witty, bold filmmaking. It doesn’t compromise and it doesn’t expend its odd characters for cheap laughs. You laugh, but you also dread the choices that characters are going to make. You almost cry at times for the human mistakes unfolding onscreen. You want everything to turn out okay, yet fear that this will not be so.
I don’t know about you, but I love films like that. I love “Ghost World”.
