"Ghost World" opens at a high school graduation where best friends Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) are preparing to venture into the "real world" together.  They intend to get jobs and then rent an apartment together.  No college for these girls.  However, despite being inseparable during high school, Enid and Rebecca begin to drift apart as their maturing life goals take them in different directions.  Rebecca is embracing conventionality - a steady job at Starbuck's, renting her own apartment, and plans for the future. Enid, on the other hand, is wandering aimlessly, entering into a semi-romantic relationship with a much older, timid Seymour (Steve Buscemi), failing to hold down a job for more than a day, taking art classes, and continuing to live in her father's house.

      The real strength of "Ghost World" are the characters.  We become involved in the story because we care about what happens to them.  Enid in particular, who has the most screen time, develops into a well-rounded individual.  She has her rough edges and she's not the easiest person to get along with, but it doesn't take long for us to be rooting for her.  Steve Buscemi has the opportunity to play a kind of part he is rarely given - a romantic lead.  Of course, Seymour doesn't represent the typical male half of a romantic pairing - he's emotionally withdrawn, painfully shy, and inexperienced with women - in short, a traditional dork.  But the performances given are first rate and it's always nice to see a film with interesting characters that you care about.

     "Ghost World" offers interesting characters, very smart dialogue, biting satire and dark comedy.  I enjoyed this film much more than I had anticipated.

     -- Mike (3 1/2 out of 4 pops )

Talk about this film with other Popkorn Junkies

      James ( 3 1/2 out of 4 pops )

      "Ghost World" is pretty a good movie, but if I didn't know better, I'd say that Thora Birch's character was named Daria, like the MTV show. Not only did she look like the MTV cartoon, she acted like her too! Steve Buscemi is excellent in this. Brad Renfro was in this? I never even noticed him. Sure, now I know that he played Josh...  I think that Enid  was just afraid to grow up, and that's why she felt comfort with older guys; Seymour and the old man at the bus stop.

      Patsy ( 3 1/2 out of 4 pops )

      I'm not really sure what "Ghost World" was about.  I guess it's just a vision of life from someone else's eyes.  Some really interesting someone else who looks at life in a different way than most.  I mean, what kind of a person sits in a diner and sketches  suspected Satanists and then decides to follow them home--"Don't you want to see where they live?"--?  A very interesting person.  So, the movie is interesting a a bit off-- it was pretty cool.  My father told me that Enid reminded him of me-- I'm not sure if I should be insulted or complimented-- what do you think?