Film Reviews

Ghost World

• Rating:
• Director: Terry Zwigoff.
• Starring: Thora Birch, Scarlet Johansson, Steve Buscemi, Brad Renfro, Bob Balaban, Illeana Douglas, Teri Garr.
• Details: US / 111 mins / (15PG).

Unconventional but sassy teenage drama in which American Beauty's Thora Birch plays Enid, a disaffected LA teenager. With her best friend, Rebecca (impressive newcomer Scarlet Johansson) in tow, the pair take a very dim view of their peers and the world around them. Yet as Rebecca begins to gain attention from boys and begins to tire of her friend's self-loathing ways, Enid attempts to find her own way in a world which she doesn't even like, her only help provided by a sad and lonely middle-aged record collector (played superbly by Steve Buscemi). Based on Daniel Clowes' acclaimed graphic novel, Ghost World is a witty and entertaining document of what it's like to be young and disaffected in America today. Zwigoff's direction is assured but it's Birch, who really shines with her devastatingly accurate portrayal of a young girl at odds with the world. The premise may indicate otherwise, but Ghost World is a poignant and impressive piece of work that deserves a wide audience.

Review by Garreth Murphy