RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
RT's Blu-ray HQ
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Ghost World
Ghost World

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Ghost World (2001)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
92 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:141

Fresh:130

Rotten:11

Average Rating:7.8/10

Consensus: An intelligent and comedic trip in teen angst.

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for strong language and some sexual content

Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:Jul 20, 2001 Limited

Box Office: $4,694,484

Synopsis: Terry Zwigoff finally follows up his 1994 breakout success, CRUMB, with this infectious, insightful, and ultimately sad look at teenage angst and boredom in suburbia that recalls such films as... Terry Zwigoff finally follows up his 1994 breakout success, CRUMB, with this infectious, insightful, and ultimately sad look at teenage angst and boredom in suburbia that recalls such films as WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE and RUSHMORE as well as MTV's excellent DARIA series. The screenplay, written by Zwigoff and Daniel Clowes, is based on Clowes's underground comic book, GHOST WORLD. Best friends Enid and Rebecca have graduated from high school, and now they need to figure out what comes next. Rebecca gets a menial job at a coffee shop and starts looking for an apartment, while Enid wallows in her miserable (Daria-like) worldview, in which all jobs are sellouts and nearly all people are creeps, geeks, and losers. But when she plays a practical joke on the biggest dud of them all, Seymour, a lonely man who lives only for his collection of classic 78s, her life gets turned upside as she finds herself needing him in ways she never thought possible. Thora Birch (Enid) and Steve Buscemi (Seymour) are nothing short of marvelous in their complex roles, and they receive ample support from Scarlet Johansson, Bob Balaban, Teri Garr, Brad Renfro, Illeana Douglas, and the great David Cross. The excellent soundtrack includes songs by Skip James, Blueshammer, the Buzzcocks, Lionel Belasco, Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, and Mohammed Rafi, among others. Note to Buscemi fans: There's a small bit at the end of the credits, so stick around. [More]

Starring: Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Buscemi, David Cross

Starring: Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Buscemi, David Cross, Illeana Douglas, Teri Garr, Brad Renfro, Bob Balaban, Ezra Buzzington, Bruce Glover

Director: Terry Zwigoff

Director: Terry Zwigoff
Screenwriter: Daniel Clowes, Terry Zwigoff
Producer: Lianne Halfon, John Malkovich, Russell Smith
Composer: David Kitay
Studio: MGM/UA

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
1 - 5 of 15

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Feb 5, 2002

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Ghost World

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

...satisfying in ways that more than compensate for the film's soft ending.

Full Review Source: ColeSmithey.com | comment Comment
07/21/09
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
04/29/09
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed

If more people appreciated stories like this, movies and comic books would be better off.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
02/14/08
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Big Picture Big Sound | comment Comment
07/14/07
Joe Lozito
Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound

his is 'teen comedy' of startling sophistication -- with horribly funny bits as well. A true original, with sharp humour, subtle detail and painfully realistic characters.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
12/30/06
Angie Errigo
Angie Errigo
Empire Magazine

Based on Clowes' underground comic book, this is another tale of how the mediocrity of American subsurbs can suffocate its few creative denizens, all misfits of course, but it's extremely well acted by Steve Buscemi and Thora Birch .

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
08/17/06
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

It isn't a perfect film, but it's never less than strikingly original.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Time Out

Zwigoff makes Enid's neighborhood a truly strange and haunted place, where plastic people robotically follow their society's norms, and those who resist are left angry, alienated, and without any ideas for how to survive.

Full Review Source: Looking Closer | comment Comment
01/15/05
Jeffrey Overstreet
Jeffrey Overstreet
Looking Closer
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul | comment Comment
01/02/04
Rob Nelson
Rob Nelson
City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul

É interessante notar como duas amigas, inicialmente tão próximas em seu cinismo e em sua presunção, se distanciam gradualmente, embora pouca coisa mude além do universo colegial que as cercava.

comment Comment
07/25/03
Pablo Villaca
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena

There are bits of wicked humor, but Zwigoff begins by laughing at the kooks in Clowes' ghost of a world and never stops. The real crime is that Clowes is content to join in with him.

Full Review Source: Palo Alto Weekly | comment Comment
05/14/03
Joe Mader
Joe Mader
Palo Alto Weekly

Zwigoff pulls off something in Ghost World that seems a minor miracle -- he creates someone with a complex inner life.

Full Review Source: L.A. Weekly | comment Comment
04/21/03
Manohla Dargis
Manohla Dargis
L.A. Weekly

Another whiny white suburban teen chick anthem film, I thought. And then, I found myself pleasantly surprised that it was something more than that.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
03/19/03
Brian Mckay
Brian Mckay
eFilmCritic.com

One movie that kids should really bring their parents to.

Full Review Source: RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland) | comment Comment
03/04/03
Harry Guerin
Harry Guerin
RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland)

Every performance in the film is perfect, from the leads to the smaller characters.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/08/02
Ross Williams
Ross Williams
Film Threat

When it's all said and done, this pæan to the losers, misfits, outcasts and obsessives of the world proves to be nothing less than haunting.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/08/02
Tim Merrill
Tim Merrill
Film Threat

Poignant, insightful, wryly humorous portrait of American teenage non-conformity -- a wonderful, distinctive film, with a great soundtrack and terrific performances from its three leads. One of the best films of the year.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
10/30/02
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

Much praised but, to me, ultimately an unsatisfying film.

Full Review Source: San Diego Metropolitan | comment Comment
10/21/02
Jean Lowerison
Jean Lowerison
San Diego Metropolitan

Here, the fantasy is self-actualization and it creates an obsacle for the audience. Not to mention that this story settles in a place that essentially boxes the characters into an ending that has the doomed daydreaming aspect of a really awful songwriter.

Full Review Source: Film Snobs | comment Comment
10/17/02
Jimmy O
Jimmy O
Film Snobs

The perfect antidote to the brainless, brutally stereotyped teen-agers of most Hollywood 'youth' movies.

Full Review Source: Cincinnati Enquirer | comment Comment
10/15/02
Margaret A. McGurk
Margaret A. McGurk
Cincinnati Enquirer
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 >> >|
all

Latest News for Ghost World

March 05, 2009: Total Recall: Which Graphic Novels Made Good Movies?
With Watchmen hitting theaters this week, we at RT decided to take a look at other graphic novels and comic book miniseries that have made the transition to the big screen.... More...

January 17, 2008: Brad Renfro: 1982-2008
Brad Renfro, star of The Client and Apt Pupil, passed away Tuesday of unknown causes. He was 25. More...

September 14, 2007: Zwigoff, Clowes to Assemble $40,000 Man
The creative duo responsible for Ghost World and Art School Confidential has found its next project. More...

March 16, 2006: Critical Consensus: "Vendetta" Hits, "Man" Misses
This week's wide releases highlight a rarely-tread path in modern cinema, as both pics feature two of America's sweethearts -- every geek's fave, Natalie Portman, and cute... More...

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
44% 44% Night at the Museum: B…
32% 32% Terminator Salvation
36% 36% Angels & Demons
95% 95% Star Trek
25% 25% Four Christmases

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
83% 83% Harry Potter and the H…
67% 67% Public Enemies
75% 75% Julie & Julia
95% 95% The Cove
85% 85% World's Greatest Dad

More New Releases…

See All

RT On Current TV

The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

Learn how you can be part of the show

More...

What’s Hot On RT

Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood

Take a trip through Clint Eastwood's career!

Disney Countdown

Disney Countdown

RT looks at Disney's best animated movies!

Total Recall

Total Recall

A look back at Keith David's best movies!

Five Favorites

Five Favorites

Sam Worthington shares his favorite films!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Thomas Dolby Starts a Star Wars Rumor Source: Ain't It Cool News
0
  • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
0
  • The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Headed for IMAX Source: Collider.com
42
  • James Cameron Developing Sci-Fi Film for Fox Source: ComingSoon.net
7
  • Peter Jackson Reveals Which LotR Characters Will Return for The Hobbit Source: MTV
15
  • Josh Brolin Rumored for Men in Black 3 Source: Los Angeles Times
22
  • Malkovich and Hathaway Rumored for Spider-Man 4 Source: Movieline
88
  • Avatar Picks Up Golden Globes Buzz Source: HitFix
66
  • Disney's Upcoming Hand-Drawn Movies Revealed Source: Slashfilm
21
  • Cameron Explains Blue Avatar Aliens Source: MTV
37
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Total Recall: Keith David's Best Movies
59
  • Five Favorite Films with Jason Reitman
57
  • Critics Consensus: Everybody's Fine Is Just OK
50
  • Five Favorite Films With Avatar's Sam Worthington
46
  • Sundance 2010: RT's 10 Most Anticipated Movies
41
  • Weekly Ketchup: Tron Team to Remake The Black Hole
37
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: The Blind Side Takes the Lead
29
  • Awards Tour: National Board of Review Winners List!
28
  • Friday Harvest: Iron Man 2, Harry Potter, and more!
24
  • Help Us Choose the Community Golden Tomato Award
21
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
0
  • Five Favorite Films With Avatar's Sam Worthington
46
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
2
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
12
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
23
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
23
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Ghost World at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Ghost World at IGN
  • Ghost World at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
Best Sci-Fi This Decade
Best Sci-Fi This Decade External Link

Techland lists the best Sci-Fi films of this decade.

40 Worst Films of the 2000s
40 Worst Films of the 2000s External Link

Moviefone takes a look back at the biggest stinkers of the past 10 years.

10 Questions For Zac Efron
10 Questions For Zac Efron External Link

The Me and Orson Welles star answers reader questions on TIME.com.

Best Decade Ever!
Best Decade Ever! External Link

Hollywood.com's C. Robert Cargill offers his thoughts on what the best decade for film was.

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure External Link

In the AV Club's "Scenic Routes," Mike D'Angelo reminisces about the Tim Burton film.

Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Follow RT on Twitter External Link

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.