Article by Veronica Mihalopoulos

Ghost World is a movie that came out in 2001 based on a comic book of the same title written by Daniel Clowe. The movie is about two teenage girls, Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johannson). Enid is a bit of a high strung girl who has an ‘I think I am better than everyone attitude’. She desperately seeks to be offbeat and original by rehashing post punk and early nineties street fashions.  Despite Enid’s tough exterior she is a very endearing character that I fell in love with.

Rebecca is the ‘ordinary girl’ of the two who gets a job at a coffee shop. She and Enid find humor in things that should not be laughed at. They are a bit on the pessimistic side and spend a lot of time observing and judging others.  They are the kind of teenagers that never bought into the typical teenager way of life.

The girls are too smart to fit in with their peers and too smart to give it a second thought.  They are content being social outcasts. However because they are young sometimes rejection can be bitter sweet. They view most adults as stupid. They are the types of teenagers that have a very dry sense of humor that no one seems to understand except themselves. They know that there is better out there but lack the motivation to chase after something bigger.

Enid and Rebecca graduated high school with no plans to attend college. They are all too happy to get the heck out of there. While everyone else tosses up their graduation hats Enid and Rebecca celebrate by giving their beloved high school the bird. Enid soon finds out that there is a minor stipulation to this honor. 

She must attend a remedial summer school art program. Enid struggles with her art class at first due to the eccentric overly artsy teacher. Enid finds a way to get through the summer art class and leave a lasting impression

Rebecca’s work schedule no longer allows for them to spend a lot of time together. Life after high school proves to be a difficult time when you are faced with the rest of your life. The two are no longer  dealing with simple things like what am I going to wear to school today, but rather they must decide what path is best for them. Rebecca has her own thoughts and ideas of what they should do. She wants to move out with Enid and get an apartment.

This terrifies Enid not because she fears moving out of her father’s home, but because she can’t stand the idea of being imprisoned by a life that consist of a 9-5 job and punching a time card at a job she hates.  The thought of selling out to the corporate world is not something Enid takes pleasure in thinking about, much less ever doing.

Enid cons her way into the life of a man named Seymour who at first she views as pathetic. Seymour, played by Steve Buscemmi is very odd, collects old vinyl records, loves classic jazz and does not understand today’s world. They develop a strange friendship that is short lived because of a few circumstances. 

Enid and Rebecca slowly start to grow apart. I think every person who tries to find themselves can relate to this. Somehow childhood friends become just that, ‘childhood friends’. Sometimes they do not like the adult that we have become. This movie is much more than what meets the eye. Simple, but when it is broken down it has many complex adolescent issues. There are quite a few comedic moments in the film that will have you laughing till your cheeks are red.

Not to mention the movie was filmed in my home town… San Pedro. Give this cult classic a chance. You might discover a gem to add to the collection.