Film Snail

Ghost World
Ghost World

7.1

Ghost World

R·2001·111m

Summary

Two quirky, cynical teenaged girls try to figure out what to do with their lives after high school graduation. After they play a prank on an eccentric, middle aged record collector, one of them befriends him, which causes a rift in the girls’ friendship.

Cast

Thora Birch

Thora Birch

Enid

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson

Rebecca

Steve Buscemi

Steve Buscemi

Seymour

Brad Renfro

Brad Renfro

Josh

Illeana Douglas

Illeana Douglas

Roberta Allsworth

Bob Balaban

Bob Balaban

Enid's Dad

Stacey Travis

Stacey Travis

Dana

Charles C. Stevenson Jr.

Charles C. Stevenson Jr.

Norman

Dave Sheridan

Dave Sheridan

Doug

Tom McGowan

Tom McGowan

Joe

Debra Azar

Debra Azar

Melora

Brian George

Brian George

Sidewinder Boss

Pat Healy

Pat Healy

John Ellis

Rini Bell

Rini Bell

Graduation Speaker

T.J. Thyne

T.J. Thyne

Todd

Ezra Buzzington

Ezra Buzzington

Weird Al

Lindsey Girardot

Lindsey Girardot

Vanilla

Joy Bisco

Joy Bisco

Jade

Venus DeMilo Thomas

Venus DeMilo Thomas

Ebony

Ashley Peldon

Ashley Peldon

Margaret

Chachi Pittman

Phillip

Janece Jordan

Black Girl

Kaileigh Brielle Martin

Snotty Girl

Alexander Fors

Hippy Boy

Marc Vann

Marc Vann

Angry Guy (Jerome)

James Sie

James Sie

Asian Guy (Steven)

Paul Keith

Paul Keith

Fussy Guy (Paul)

David Cross

David Cross

Pushy Guy (Gerrold)

J.J. 'Bad Boy' Jones

Fred Chatman

Dylan Jones

Dylan Jones

Red-Haired Girl

Martin Grey

Martin Grey

M.C.

Steve Pierson

Blueshammer Member

Jake La Botz

Jake La Botz

Blueshammer Member

Johnny Irion

Blueshammer Member

Nate Wood

Blueshammer Member

Charles Schneider

Charles Schneider

Joey McCobb

Sid Hillman

Sid Hillman

Zine-O-Phobia Creep

Joshua Wheeler

Zine-O-Phobia Creep

Patrick Fischler

Patrick Fischler

Masterpiece Video Clerk

Daniel Graves

Daniel Graves

Masterpiece Video Customer

Matt Doherty

Matt Doherty

Masterpiece Video Employee

Joel Michaely

Joel Michaely

Porno Cashier

Debi Derryberry

Debi Derryberry

Rude Coffee Customer

Joseph Sikora

Joseph Sikora

Reggae Fan

Brett Gilbert

Alien Autopsy Guy

Alex Solowitz

Alex Solowitz

Cineplex Manager

Tony Ketcham

Alcoholic Customer

Mary Bogue

Popcorn Customer

Brian Jacobs

Brian Jacobs

Soda Customer

Patrick Yonally

Garage Sale Hipster

Lauren Bowles

Lauren Bowles

Angry Garage Sale Woman

Lorna Scott

Lorna Scott

Phyllis, the Art Show Curator

Jeff Murray

Roberta's Colleague

Jerry Rector

Jerry Rector

Dana's Co-Worker

John Bunnell

Seymour's Boss

Diane Salinger

Diane Salinger

Psychiatrist

Anna Berger

Anna Berger

Seymour's Mother

Bruce Glover

Bruce Glover

Feldman (Wheelchair Guy)

Teri Garr

Teri Garr

Maxine (uncredited)

Danny Allen

Adult Store Customer (uncredited)

Joan Blair

Joan Blair

Lady Slowly Crossing Street (uncredited)

Michelle McGinty

Michelle McGinty

Mom in Convenience Store (uncredited)

Will Forte

Will Forte

(uncredited)

Crew

Director, Screenplay

Terry Zwigoff

Comic Book, Screenplay

Daniel Clowes

Reviews

Geronimo1967

Geronimo1967

February 19, 2025

6

Despite some decent efforts on display here, I couldn’t help but think I’d seen it all before. It’s school friends “Enid” (Thora Birch) and “Rebecca” (Scarlet Johansson) who have just finished school and have, hitherto at any rate, been determined to live together whilst they abandon education and get jobs. It’s fair to say that these two women are a bit on the periphery of their community. “Enid”, especially, with her blue hair and punk affections fancies herself as a bit of an artist and has disdain for just about everyone else. To alleviate their boredom, they answer an ad in a lonely hearts type column and encounter the rather sad character that is “Seymour” (Steve Buscemi) to whom neither take much of an instant shine, but with whom “Enid” begins to become friends - without acknowledging that it was them who not only replied to his advert, but who also left him high and dry once they had seen what he looked like on their supposed date. With this friendship taking an unpredictable path and “Enid” gradually managing to distance herself from just about everyone else, it might be too late when she eventually realises the short-sightedness of her ways. At times this is quite a quirky and wittily written coming-of-age drama, but I couldn’t find enough from any of the characters here to care about. We were all selfish and opinionated at that age, with little respect for anything that didn’t meet our (not very exacting) standards, but that doesn’t necessarily make for engaging storytelling. The production seems overly designed to exacerbate the issues from their largely self-inflicted problems and poor life choices, and though Buscemi comes across as quite natural with his portrayal of a nerdy character I felt this film strived to make the bleeding obvious a more pedestrian tale of teen angst than create anything fresh or innovative. Maybe I am just too old, but this didn’t do much for me, sorry.

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$7,000,000.00

Revenue:

$8,800,000.00

Keywords

female friendship
based on comic
high school graduation
best friend
high school friends
cynical
social outcast
art class
record collector
plaster
personal ad
blues music
nunchaku
prank telephone call
aftercreditsstinger