Ghost World **** (2001, Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Buscemi, Brad Renfro, Bob Balaban, Teri Garr) – Classic Movie Review 1047

Co-writer/director Terry Zwigoff’s 2001 movie stars Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson as two weird American teenagers Enid and Rebecca, who scoff at the world of losers, Satanists and freaks they see around them, providing them with a constant source of amusement.

Working through her identity crisis, Birch gets involved with one of the rather creepy-looking, much older, music-loving dufuses (Steve Buscemi), after he sells her an old record. Buscemi was so uncomfortable playing Seymour that whenever shooting was finished, he immediately changed his clothes to look completely different.

Based on the comic book by Daniel Clowes, with the Oscar-nominated screenplay co-written by him, this credible portrait of frustrated youth is funny, intelligent and disturbing, a useful addition to the post-American Beauty series of oddball teen movies. The pat, yet unresolved ending’s a slight disappointment, though.

It looks great in Affonso Beato’s lurid cinematography. Both girls are ideal, Buscemi goes through his sad loser act again, but this time is spot on, and Illeana Douglas is special as the girls’ phony art teacher. Brad Renfro, Bob Balaban (Enid’s Dad) Stacey Travis, Tom McGowan and Teri Garr (Maxine) are also in the cast.

‘We graduated high school. How totally amazing,’ says Enid.

The producers are Mr Mudd, Jersey Shore, Advanced Medien and Granada. Mr Mudd is John Malkovich’s production company.

Zwigoff also directed the documentary Crumb and the hilarious Bad Santa (2003).

Brad Renfro was discovered at age 10 by director Joel Schumacher, who starred him in The Client (1994). He went on to appear in The Cure (1995), Tom and Huck (1995), Sleepers (1996) and Apt Pupil (1998). He died of a drug overdose in January 2008, aged 25.

Thora Birch (who put on 20lb for her role in Ghost World) had a successful child star career and briefly zoomed to real stardom as the disillusioned daughter in American Beauty (1999). She lives on her family’s East L.A. ranch, where she finished high school through a computer-based correspondence course.

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(C) Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Film Review 1047 derekwinnert.com