Ghost World (2001)

Ghost World (2001) is a sharp, bittersweet indie comedy-drama about two cynical best friends, Enid and Rebecca, navigating the aimless summer after high school. With no plans but to move in together, they drift through deadpan pranks, dead-end jobs and dismissal of anything "mainstream" — until a thoughtless joke on a lonely older record collector, Seymour, unexpectedly turns into a fragile friendship that forces Enid to confront how she sees herself and the world. If you watch this film you’ll get a darkly funny, character-driven story that blends sardonic teenage wit with genuine melancholy. Expect crisp, observant dialogue, offbeat humor and quiet, awkward moments rather than plot-heavy excitement. The movie mixes a retro, slightly gritty visual style and a soundtrack rooted in old 78 rpm records to underline its themes of nostalgia and cultural emptiness. Performances are understated and memorable: the teenage characters’ abrasive defenses slowly give way to vulnerability, while Seymour’s gentle oddness provides both comic relief and emotional ballast. Overall, Ghost World is less about neat resolutions and more about the uncomfortable, often lonely process of growing up — a film that will leave you amused, a little unsettled and thinking about how people change, drift apart, and sometimes surprise you.

Actors: Steve Buscemi, Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson

Director: Terry Zwigoff

Runtime: 111 min

Genres: Comedy, Drama

6.8 /10 90 /100 7.3 /10 7.7 /10