Welcome to the Dollhouse





Starring
Heather Matarazzo, Brendan Sexton III, Eric Mabius, Matthew Faber

Rating


Rating within genre


Rated
R for adult language and sex-related conversation

Directed by
Todd Solondz

Written by
Todd Solondz

Genre
Drama/with comedy *stereo-indie*

Film
Color; 1 hr. 30 min.

Date of Release
1995

Filming Locations
West Caldwell, NJ (USA)

Synopsis
Life is hell for 7th grader Dawn Weiner. Even the outcast geeks don't want her in their group. No matter how hard she tries, there is always something wrong. Her parents love her little sister and nerdy older brother more than they do her, and she can't figure out if that cute boy at school likes or hates her. To add to it, she's got a major crush on the older singer of her brother's band...and gets hit dead on with rejection, and her parents want to tear down her clubhouse in the backyard. Every now and then things start to look up, then a moment later they crashland with a vengance.

Summary
'Welcome to the Dollhouse' is an unhappy movie with an unhappy ending. Unlike popular Hollywood shows, this movie looks down on the possibility of everything working out, and takes reality for all it's worth. The character Dawn goes through everything a lot of people actually do....and like their lives, hers doesn't get much better. Brendan Sexton III as the popular but poor boy at school, does an excellent job in his role - loving Dawn but concealing it for reputation reasons. Heather is outstanding as Dawn Weiner....her acting is really great and improves the movie a good deal with comedy and drama. Eric Mabius is very funny as the stuck-up perverted singer that has no interest in Dawn whatsoever, though her infatuation with him is completely sincere. Todd Solondz laces a depressing film with authenticity, leaving us with a well-done (though at times a little over-done) masterpiece. If you're the kind of person that's into Stereo-Indies, I highly reccommend this one.

Notable Quotes

"Do you know what special people means?" -- Steve
"What?" -- Dawn
"Special people means retards. Your club is for retards, Dawn." -- Steve

"Dawn, you are not leaving this table until you tell your sister that you love her." -- Mrs. Weiner

"Do you think about girls?" -- Dawn
"Are you kidding? I want to get into a good school!" -- Mark

"High school's better than junior high. They'll call you names, but not as much to your face." -- Mark


Reviews


Stygian Films: "Definitely one of the most realistic films of the decade, Welcome to the Dollhouse hits hard -- especially for all those who suffered during their Jr. High years."

Tucson Weekly: "The real pleasures of this film lie in the details, in the careful observation of the tone and texture of outcast life. Heather Matarazzo is astonishing as Dawn Wiener. Despite her young age she handles her role with sad, serious understatement."

Roger Ebert: "It isn't the big picture that matters to a girl like Dawn, but the details: how she looks_today_in the mirror, and how_this_dress looks, and what small hopeful signs might have been sighted, or imagined, on the far emotional horizon. If you can see this movie without making a mental hit list of the kids who made your 11th year a torment, then you are kinder, or luckier, than me."

Epinions (Jon Turner): "The acting is all around excellent, a very impressive feat for such a young director with an inexperienced cast. Heather Matarazzo and Brendan Sexton III are especially impressive in each of their respective first film roles. Their and many other's superb performances in this film have helped a lot of them enjoy many more film roles since "Welcome to the Dollhouse. I highly recommend this brutally honest film to all who are willing to spend an hour and a half of their life and take in this sad, but often hilarious, story."

MMI: "...if you skip the harrowing black comedy "Welcome to the Dollhouse," you'll be missing the best film of the year."

Cast List

Heather Matarazzo..........Dawn Weiner
Matthew Faber...............Mark Weiner
Brendan Sexton III..........Brandon McCarthy
Eric Mabius....................Steve Rodgers
Daria Kalinina.................Missy Weiner
Angela Pietropinto...........Mrs. Weiner
Dimitri DeFresco............Ralphy
Victoria Davis.................Lolita


Not all girls want to play with dolls.




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