“He’s the exact opposite of everything I really hate.”

Rarely do quotes encapsulate a movie, a plot or a philosophy. But with this off-the-cuff remark from Enid (Thora Birch), a girl who is the epitome of all that’s sarcastic, witty and aimless about the age of 18, we ache from the very real tension of post-high school at the onset of much larger concerns.

In the hands of others, “Ghost World” could have been the story of two female malcontents throwing water balloons at the former cheerleaders to the tune of a catchy Ramones single. But director Terry Zwigoff and writer Daniel Clowes create an atmosphere for an ensemble cast to thrive on thought. And in the process, they tell a simple yet wonderful open-ended story full of the most memorable cinematic characters of the past year.

The quote concerns a rare breath of fresh air in an unnamed town full of choking commercialism familiar to any northern Illinois suburbanite. Most times, Enid and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) just look for the oddballs (Satanists equal fun) for adventuresome voyeurism and detached observations.

But Enid’s fascination grows for a self-depreciating record collector with pathetic eyes and a DOA social life (Steve Buscemi). The plot’s loose structure draws interesting parallels between their relationship and Enid’s maturing process, but don’t count on any tidy light-bulb revelations. A summer rarely yields insight, only memories.

With the DVD release, the characters’ intricacies blossom with each viewing. Enid seems so smart and hip, but a telling record-store scene reveals she sometimes tries a bit too hard. Rebecca’s deadpan voice belies a change in focus for her. She drives the change for stability and forward-thinking, almost serving as a sarcastic reminder of time passing. And in the process, the two separate ever so slightly, as friends sometimes do without the simple climax.

These small details create an immediate attachment to the story, creating a ravenous following akin to a comic book (the source material for the story). Just try denying the truth in Enid sitting, her body wrapped in a robe and her soul enveloped by the continued play of a forgotten blues gem on the record player. Or the over-the-top symbolic statements that pass for revelations in the visual arts world, epitomized in Enid’s art class. Or …

The list goes on and on. But the script isn’t just an indictment of the vapid (although any attempt to ridicule pseudo ’50s diners is worth celebrating). If that had been the case, the film would have fallen into the same shallow traps it indicts. Instead, the themes of directionless drifting resonate. Who cares about a few kids trapped in the suburbs? This film argues that much of the world, probably even Enid’s beloved India, consists of these characters. And we know it’s true.

The replay value of the film makes up for some nondescript DVD special features. The deleted scenes section basically consists of extended scenes already long enough in the movie. And the featurette isn’t anything that would set film scholars ablaze in thought.

“Ghost World” will develop a following much stronger than any of its summer 2001 blockbuster brethren. In a few years’ time, the producers will realize that, and a special edition will serve the film justice. Then it will be the exact opposite of everything we hate about DVDs.