The end of high school can be a polarizing experience. On the one hand, its the start of a whole new and exciting life. But on the other, its a terrifying prospect. Its the first time in a young person's life when they can get out into the real world and see what lies in wait for them. Either exciting surprises or grave disappointments.<br /><br />Ghost World, my choice for best teen film of 2001, neatly captures the mindset of anguished teenagers at this particular crossroads in life. Its not always accessible, but in this day and age of cookie cutter teen fodder, that's something of a relief.<br /><br />The two teens Ghost World chooses to observe are Enid and Rebecca, both wonderfully played by Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson. The opening scene witnesses their high school graduation. Something Enid & Rebecca greet with almost casual indifference. Their lives are undeniably changing, they just haven't decided if its for better or worse.<br /><br />Ghost World is a film that seems to occupy a bizarre buffer zone between two netherworlds. Its a skewed vision of suburbia, not unlike something out of a Tim Burton or a John Waters film. And director Terry Zwigoff paints a quite appealing portrait of an oddball utopia slowly being swallowed up by "progress" such as mini-marts and consumerism.<br /><br />Enid & Rebecca are casual observers. Anything that falls below their radar, you can bet Enid will have some witty rejoinder or dry comment dripping in sarcasm on hand, while Rebecca stands off to the side mulling it over and chipping in if and when necessary.<br /><br />The film charts the deterioration of their friendship. Although Enid is in no hurry to grow up and get on with things, Rebecca senses an inevitability to her life. Being a non-conformist is one thing, but at some point, we all have to conform to some of life's expectations of us.<br /><br />Rebecca gets a job at Starbucks (or something like it) and goes apartment hunting for herself and Enid. Things like these don't interest Enid. She's trapped in a perpetual fantasy. A bubble she believes will remain intact. And when she does try to follow Rebecca's example, doing a regular job, its like watching a dog walk on its hind legs.<br /><br />Enid wasn't meant for normal life. She loves to stand out from everyone around her. And she has an eclectic wardrobe for each and every (social) occasion. Rebecca may be an outsider too, but perhaps she recognises it as one of life's many phases.<br /><br />So with Enid & Rebecca growing further and further apart, Enid finds solace in Seymour (a perfectly cast Steve Buscemi), a record collector unlucky in love. Enid plays a rather cruel joke on Seymour by responding to a personal ad he put in the paper. She stands him up, sort of, by observing him from a distance (like she does with everything), and becomes fascinated by this oddity of a man.<br /><br />She senses a kindred spirit in Seymour. Someone who doesn't fit in, a social misfit, and inept at life's ironies. But when she actually gets Seymour a date, he starts spending less and less time with Enid. And as Enid's perfectly perceptive world falls apart, she spirals into depression and despair.<br /><br />Ghost World is the type of teen film you pray for, and when it finally comes, you almost feel like slapping yourself in astonishment. A teen film that's witty, sharp but most of all, perceptive. Also one of its nicest touches is the fact it stars actual teenagers for a change, not adults ten years older.<br /><br />Ghost World comes with a positively anti-authoritarian stamp on it. I sense Terry Zwigoff is a bit of a non-conformist himself. And he's selected two superb actresses to carry the film off with aplomb.<br /><br />Thora Birch is the undisputed star. She so neatly captures Enid's character you couldn't imagine anyone else in the role. Her performance is so wonderful the way it rotates from cynicism, intuition and eventually gut-wrenching despair. Each line of dialogue she delivers to perfection. From capital letter to full stop. And yet despite being attuned to the world around her, she is naive in her way. She has the vain belief things will always stay the same. Observing the world at a coldly detached distance. But as the world makes her a participant, its something that shatters her world forever. What an impressive, heartbreaking performance from someone so young.<br /><br />Ghost World came at a time just before Scarlett Johansson's career took off. And although she doesn't get as much screen time as Birch, she's equally impressive. She quite modestly allows Birch to take the spotlight because she knows its Enid's life story that's captured our interest. Johansson's performance is more subtle than Birch's, but she is necessary, because she provides an effective counterpoint to Enid's role without having to do very much at all. Which is why Scarlett Johansson is such a wonderful actress. But she'd have to wait for Lost in Translation to show her true mettle, where she plays a character not all that different from Rebecca.<br /><br />Steve Buscemi is in his element as Seymour. He's the man we hope to never become. Buscemi is known for choosing quirky, off-centre roles and Seymour is no exception. A man of few joys and even fewer accomplishments.<br /><br />The crux of Ghost World is Enid. What she slowly senses is that her defiantly defended role as life's abject observer can't go on forever. One day, she will have to grow up. And perhaps she does at the end. The last thing we ever see of her is getting on a bus. Where she's going is a mystery. But at least she's getting out of town. Perhaps progress has finally caught up with Enid.<br /><br />Cherish Ghost World. Its the perfect antidote to predictable teen movies and their comfortable clichés.