Taglines: They’re high school graduates, and the world’s got hell to pay!
Ghost World movie storyline. Best friends Enid and Rebecca have just graduated from high school, although Enid has to take a summer school art class, which she failed during the regular school year, to graduate officially. Their plan since seventh grade has been not to go to college, but rather move in together after graduating, which now entails them getting jobs to pay for that independence.
As Enid is constantly drawing things which she witnesses in her day-to-day life in her notebook for her own pleasure, that art class failing grade is only one demonstration of the contempt both Enid and Rebecca have for anything that is mainstream, which includes the structure of school and most of their classmates. Their “people”, as Enid confirms, are the freaks, sickos and weirdos of society.
Just for fun, they decide to respond to an “I Saw You” personal ad to see what loser placed the ad, who, he believes in attending the date, would be stood up by the woman for who he is looking. He is forty-something Seymour, who would admit that he beats to his own drummer and too cannot tolerate being with people who he just doesn’t understand. Although Enid does not admit to Seymour that she and Rebecca were the ones that answered the ad, Enid becomes his friend based on their shared sensibilities.
As Enid and Rebecca move on to the post-graduation phase of their lives, Enid slowly begins to alienate all around her, including Rebecca and possibly Seymour as she subversively begins to direct things in his life to thwart anything that is remotely mainstream. Enid believes that life as she knows it will be all right as long as she has one touchstone which to return, that touchstone which may not be as permanent as she believes.
Ghost World is a 2001 American black comedy film directed by Terry Zwigoff and starring Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson and Steve Buscemi. Based on the comic book of the same name by Daniel Clowes, with a screenplay co-written by Clowes and Zwigoff, the story focuses on the lives of Enid (Birch) and Rebecca (Johansson), two teenage outsiders in an unnamed American city. They face a rift in their relationship as Enid takes interest in an older man named Seymour (Buscemi), and becomes determined to help his romantic life.
Ghost World premiered on June 16, 2001 at the Seattle International Film Festival, to lower than average recognition by audiences, but admiration from critics. It was also screened at several film festivals worldwide including the Fantasia Festival in Montreal. It had little box office impact, but was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and has become a cult film.
Ghost World (2001)
Directed by: Terry Zwigoff
Starring: Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson, Brad Renfro, Rini Bell, Bob Balaban, Illeana Douglas, Steve Buscemi, Stacey Travis, Debra Azar, Dave Sheridan
Screenplay by: Daniel Clowes, Terry Zwigoff
Production Design by: Edward T. McAvoy
Cinematography by: Affonso Beato
Film Editing by: Carole Kravetz Aykanian, Michael R. Miller
Costume Design by: Mary Zophres
Set Decoration by: Lisa Fischer
Art Direction by: Alan E. Muraoka
Music by: David Kitay
MPAA Rating: R for strong language and some sexual content.
Distributed by: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Release Date: July 20, 2001
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