Reviews of Ghost World
Displaying all 4 reviews
fleurare
26Feb12
Ghost World is the delightfully entertaining story of two high-school graduates who are almost misanthropic and tired of a fate they cannot determine. Ghosts in a moronic world, Enid and her friend Rebecca grow from pulling pranks childishly and showing spite to others to deciding on how they want to live. Ghost World is a surprise; it turned out to be a surprisingly endearing and intelligent film with a sharp script and brilliant performances. Adapted from a darkly humorous comic book, the girls Enid and Rebecca (Birch and Johannsen) are intriguing to watch.
Enid argues frequently with Rebecca and has a rather awkward relationship with her father, but the focus on humour far outweighs the study of relationships here. The only ghosts in this film are the cynical protagonists, and this isn’t another ‘quirky’ adaptation appealing to teens. Instead, it is one that comments on society with wit.
Taking an art class for “fuck ups and retards”, the best scenes here are those in which a pretentious art mentor disapproves of any kind of ‘piece’ that does not ‘deal with issues’. In one particular moment, a girl presents a tampon in a teacup supposedly exemplifying female oppression and the teacher praises it greatly. Enid struggles to ‘externalise the internal’ in such an oppressing environment herself, as she does everywhere else in her hometown.
In a world full of people she categorizes into ‘creeps’, ‘losers’ and those that are ‘cool’, insecurities almost ruin Enid. After she becomes close to a middle-aged geek named Seymour (a perfectly cast Steve Buscemi ) and tension ascends when she struggles to rent an apartment with Rebecca, she is haunted by a future that she does not know exists. However,, the denoument of Ghost World is one of heartwarming hope for Enid.
- Currently 4.0/5 Stars.
Marcus WP
31Mar11
the write-up i did on my blog involved picutres and i dont feel like doing that html stuff on here right now, so please check it out on my blog:
http://travissaves.blogspot.com/2011/03/do-people-really-realize-how-funny.html?showComment=1301579206314#c3836316064954569775
But i did mean what i said in the title. I seriously think Zwigoff will never make another movie this good. Everything just seemed to allign perfectly with this one. ‘Art School Confidential’ was pretty much a flop with a few funny moments here & there (something i finally came to terms with a few years ago) and Bad Santa was just “ok”.
- Currently 5.0/5 Stars.
Fantastic Voyages
16Jan10
Based on Daniel Clowes dark cult graphic novel of the same name, Terry Zwigoff’s first non-documentary feature presents a strange and fascinating look at adolescent sorrow. Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) are two socially anomalous best friends who, after graduating from high-school, struggle to adapt to an adult world of disappointment. After setting up a prank meeting with a lonely heart subscriber, Enid strikes up an unusual friendship with middle-aged Seymour (an excellent Steve Buscemi), whilst loosening the bond between herself and Rebecca. A bitingly funny and tender film about the death of friendships and the agonies of maturity, Ghost World is a startling work of nuanced melancholy.
- Currently 4.0/5 Stars.
Todd Kushigemachi
25May09
(Originally written January 14, 2007)
Usually, I walk away from a film with a strong sense of adoration or irritation. Ghost World left me a bit confused and not knowing how I felt. The first ten minutes or so were absolutely hilarious, with the sarcastic high school graduates being two lovably despicable characters. Steve Buscemi’s performance is fantastic. His character is an amusing portrait of the eccentric, yet he is never too strange to be unloved. He’s the outcast who knows far too much about music, but he’s the most genuine character in the film. The film also had quietly powerful moments with the scene in which Enid shows Seymour her illustrations being particularly poignant. It’s a friendship in which two characters who resent “99% of humanity” are able to find comfort in each other. Enid is reminiscent of Holden Caufield, obsessed with the phonies around her when she rarely takes a serious look at her own life.
Although the film had these and many more strong qualities, Ghost World feels a typical film simply drenched in eccentricities. When Buscemi’s character is shown the article on the vintage racist poster in the newspaper, it seems like a throw-away detail that, instead of contributing to what the film, attempts to manipulate us as we feel the everything-is-going-wrong dip that films often have. One of the most frustrating concepts was the bus, a bus that picks up passengers regardless of the fact that it supposedly shut down years ago. What I liked about the film was that it created its atmosphere through the exaggeration of the truth, and this element seemed to cheapen the film with a surreal, “thought-provoking” symbol. Although the cultural references were fun, it sometimes felt too knowingly cute with the brief joke about 8 ½ out of place. Overall, it’s an enjoyable film that many might be able to connect to because of the strength of the characters, but it is definitely not great.
- Currently 4.0/5 Stars.