May 10, 1999
GHOST WORLD
Screenplay by Daniel Clowes and Terry Zwigoff
Synopsis by Brian Aldrich
Friends ENID and REBECCA graduate from high school. After the ceremony, Enid learns she has to attend summer school to retake an art class she failed. Enid and Rebecca follow some SATANISTS, eat TV dinners with Rebecca’s grandmother OOMIE, and see weirdo comedian JOEY McCOBB perform on TV. Then, they answer a personal ad and arrange to meet the guy at the mall restaurant. They talk harmless friend and store clerk, JOSH, into driving them to the mall. They think weird SEYMOUR, an older man, is the guy and follow him home.
Seymour and his roommate JOE are having a garage sale. Enid talks to him about old music and she buys a record. Afterwards, the girls talk about him and plan how to find the perfect apartment. the following week, Enid goes back to Seymour’s weekly garage sale and flirts with him. Enid takes an art class. Her sketchbook becomes filled with funny, observant details and a drawing of the Satanists. Her teacher, ROBERTA, finds her work amusing. Enid takes Rebecca to a music collector’s party at Seymour’s apartment. Enid gets Seymour alone. He says he is a loser. She offers to help him get women. Rebecca starts her job at a corporate coffee house. Enid’s DAD bugs her about getting a job. Seymour takes Enid to a blues club to see MISSISSIPPI FRED McDOWELL perform. Enid tries to set Seymour with a CUTE GIRL, but she takes off with someone else. Seymour informs Enid that he is a manager for a corporate chicken franchise which was racist in its early years. Seymour has collected the paraphernalia. Enid takes one of the paintings to class and claims it is her work. Roberta is impressed. Enid gets a job at the movie theatre, but is fired on her first day. Enid spends Seymour’s birthday with him, encouraging him. Seymour reveals he once had a college girlfriend named ANNE and a controlling MOTHER. Enid reveals she’d like to make love to Josh, but fears Rebecca will freak out. Enid finds out Seymour was the guy who placed the personal ad. She hooks him up with DANA, an attractive yuppie. Enid is surprised to see her Dad cooking dinner at home for old friend MAXINE, an attractive middle-aged woman. Roberta tells Enid she wants to nominate her for a scholarship. Dana cooks dinner for Seymour. Rebecca goes out with work friends. Enid is all alone. She seduces Josh and makes him promise not to tell Rebecca. Enid and Rebecca look at an apartment. Enid tells Seymour she had sex with Josh. Dana is jealous of Enid. At the art show, the CURATOR wants Roberta to take down Enid’s controversial painting, but she refuses. Enid asks Seymour to accompany her, but he is afraid Dana won’t understand. Enid is hurt. Enid and Rebecca have a bad argument. Roberta tells Enid that the school board is forcing her to fail Enid. As Enid is still not a graduate, she is not eligible for the art scholarship. Josh is mad at Enid for ignoring him and won’t talk to her. Sad Enid goes to see Seymour. They get drunk and make love. Seymour breaks up with Dana and wants Enid to move in with him. She ignores him. Enid and Rebecca make up. Enid tells reporter AGNES that the painting isn’t hers and reveals the chicken company’s dirty little secret. Seymour is fired. He tells Rebecca that Enid was having sex with Josh and she reveals Enid set up the phony blind date. Furious Seymour fights with Josh. Months later, Seymour has a better job, Rebecca and Josh are dating, and Enid has her diploma, but is all alone.
Summary Criticism: While the script is amateurish, the intriguing characters are multi-dimensional. The story bogs down in senseless minutiae, but the highlights are compelling.
Ghost World (2000) - imdb
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