Scarlett Johansson’s Raunchy R-Rated Comedy Has Been Unfairly Forgotten

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 3 seconds ago

Remember that plot point in Jurassic Park about extracting dinosaur blood from ancient mosquitoes that were trapped in amber millions of years ago? Certain films are like that, and revisiting them is like stepping into memories from a lifetime ago. When you revisit these movies, you get more than the usual reassuring wave of nostalgia. You get to touch the still-warm blood of who you were when you first watched the film and (at least, until the credits roll) bring a version of your past self, happy and carefree, into the roaring chaos of the present day.   

For me, the ultimate example of this phenomenon is Ghost World (2001). It’s a movie I fell in love with when I was a lot like its characters: too smart and too smart-mouthed for my own good, hoping that enough wit and sarcasm could hide the fact that I was terrified about figuring out what to do with my life. It’s somewhat bittersweet to return to the film with the sobering knowledge that growing up is a lie. You never figure out exactly what you’re supposed to do or who you’re supposed to be. But for anyone who wants to escape into the past with the smartest, sexiest film you’ve never seen, Ghost World is now streaming for free on Tubi.

Sick, Grad World

The premise of Ghost World is that two young girls (played by Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson) have just completed high school and don’t know what to do with the rest of their lives. Young Enid must complete a remedial art class, but she and her toxic bestie still find the time to prank a sad man (played by Steve Buscemi) who posts a personal ad trying to reach a woman he recently met. This kicks off a very unconventional friendship between Enid and a man two and a half times her age, but her carefree drama eventually threatens to destroy both their lives.

Ghost World is a brilliant adaptation of the Daniel Clowes comic of the same name. As such, the movie lends itself to a very breezy, episodic structure. While Enid’s strange friendship with sad sack Seymour is the narrative anchor, the movie finds plenty of time to showcase her bizarre, slice-of-life adventures with Rebecca. Sometimes, this includes watching a shirtless dude practicing his nunchuck skills and shocking people with the Batgirl helmet she snagged from the local sex shop. Other times, it includes shocking people with hilariously vulgar language. Much of this dialogue would get you instantly canceled today, but for Gen X and Millennial audiences, that’s just part of this film’s quirky, throwback charm.  

How Do You Do, Fellow Kids?

While Ghost World is impeccably written, it’s the pitch-perfect cast that really brings each insane character to life. There are some sublime choices for the supporting cast, including charismatic character actor Patrick Fischler as a video store clerk and comedy legend David Cross as a pushy vinyl enthusiast. Illeana Douglas, meanwhile, does an impeccable job of playing the kind of teacher you love to hate. Finally, the late, great Brad Renfro is the perfect audience surrogate as the friend and put-upon convenience store worker bouncing uncomfortably between the chaos of his two messiest friends.

Speaking of which, the messy relationship at the heart of Ghost World is believable largely because of the chemistry between Thora Birch and Scarlett Johannsenn. A teenage ScarJo is compelling as a young woman trying to build her future with a friend still rooted firmly in the past. As our hilarious lead, Thora Birch quickly establishes that American Beauty was no fluke and that she’s one of the most talented actresses in Hollywood. Surrounded by such a quirky young cast, Buscemi dials down some of his usual weirdness, allowing him to perfectly embody the beleaguered everyman who gets caught up in the hypnotically weird, eternally unpredictable miasma of teenage melodrama.

Teenage Wasteland

Part of why Ghost World works so well is that it’s the anti-coming-of-age story. The film is tempestuous in its own moods, careening from restless hyperfixations on trivial matters to existential ennui at the drop of the hat. In that way, it mirrors the plight of its young protagonists who now realize they must answer a question they’ve been hearing for years: what do you want to do with the rest of your life? Like all teens, though, they can’t plan for tomorrow because they don’t know who they are today, giving the film an electric tension that crackles through even the simplest scenes.

If you’re still having trouble understanding what Ghost World is about, don’t worry: that’s a feature, not a bug. Director Terry Zwigoff (who would later bring us the relentlessly raunchy Bad Santa) has captured the vibe of the Daniel Clowes comic well enough that this film has multitudes. You can enjoy it as a time capsule of your own lost youth, the perfect balm to the aches (and not just the ones in your back) of getting older. But you can also enjoy it as a poignant meditation on the intersection of sex, youth, and identity. Alternatively, you can simply enjoy it for scene after scene of the darkest, weirdest comedy ever put on film.

Care to set foot into a simpler world of existentialist Millennial whimsy? Relive the unique dread of planning your entire life when you can’t even plan your weekend? Maybe you just want to lose your sh*t at one Thora Birch stinger after another. For all these reasons and more, now is the perfect time to watch Ghost World on Tubi. You can stream this coming-of-anxiety film for free on Tubi. The money you save may one day fuel your real passion: becoming the kind of vinylhead so weird that local teenagers treat you like a zoo attraction just waiting to be put down.