Two female high school grads plan to get jobs and hang together, but bonds become frayed and paths separate after one of the girls ends up on an unintended journey of self-discovery. From the comic-book which takes a perverse delight in celebrating the geeky side of all of us, "Ghost World" is profane and cynical, but also surprisingly blithe and bright. I rather enjoyed it but realize it's not for every taste. Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson are incredibly rich and vivid in their roles (low-keyed, deadpan, but not blanks); their love-hate friendship is convincing and blessedly free of melodramatics--even they seem to cherish the personality conflicts that come up, it may give them more ammunition. As for the ending, I'm not sure whether it is ingenious or a cop-out, but it did leave me touched (in a bemused, nostalgic way). A movie with much to offer. *** from ****

Ghost World is the anti John Hughes teen movies of the 1980s. The type of movies Hughes made such as The Breakfast Club, Some KInd of Wonderful, Pretty in Pink which were not quite as alternative or radical as many initially thought.

Ghost World sets out its stall in the opening credits with a groovy dance scene from a 1960s Bollywood film. Enid (Thora Birch) is mimicking those moves.

At the graduation ceremony at High School. Enid and best friend Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) make fun of a student who was disabled in a car crash. Enid liked her more when she was an alcoholic and a drug addict. Now she is little Miss Perfect in a wheelchair.

Enid and Rebecca think they are too smart and choose to be outsiders with their piercing barbs at everyone they meet. After high school they have no plans for college or a career.

It is Enid who really is a misfit. Rebecca isn more conventionally pretty, gets a job in a coffee shop and plans to move into an apartment.

Enid does not realise that the best friends are drifting apart. Enid cannot hold down a job in a popcorn stand in a cinema.

When Enid and Rebecca decide to play a trick on a dorky loner loser Seymour (Steve Buscemi.) Enid discovers that he really is a kind of kindred spirit.

Seymour likes old records, vintage art posters and he works as an executive in some fried chicken outfit. His passion for art gives Enid an idea about her art class that she needs to do at summer school.

Enid also tries to hook up Seymour with a girlfriend when she originally set him up with a fake date for a laugh.

Directed by documentary maker Terry Zwigoff. Ghost World takes a layered look at the life of teenagers. It has a cult reputation simply because it knows that there are no easy answers to growing up.

However I did regard both Enid and Rebecca as self absorbed narcissists. They were too consumed in their own smart ass view of the world. They had no empathy for anyone else. At least Enid shifted a little with Seymour but then became jealous when he did find someone.

The best performance was from Buscemi who is the one character who has a heart tom give but no takers.

Enid (Thora Birch) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) are outsider recent high school grads best friends. They love Bollywood, have eccentric tastes, and can't relate to regular people. They rather make fun of them. They meet weirdo Seymour (Steve Buscemi) and make fun of him. He's socially awkward who collects old vinyls. Enid develops different opinions as she gets to know him while the best friends drift apart.

These are absolutely entrancing characters. Not only are they slacker cool, but they are really deep characters. Their relationships are complex and these are great actors. It makes their final resolution that much more poignant and heart-breaking.