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All rights reserved.Welcome to the Dollhouse (1999, DVD)
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A bit depressing to be a fun Dollhouse
Todd Solondz does it again and for a reason. We're introduce to Dawn Wiener (Heather Matarazzo), an awkward seventh grader who is put down by her peers because of her physical appearance. The taunting Dawn endures is extreme and does not come across as even slightly reminiscent of anything that happened in my high school, but this fact does not take away from the empathy we feel for her as she struggles through her daily life. As if school weren't bad enough, Dawn's home life doesn't leave much to be desired. Her older brother Mark (Matthew Faber), is the "king of the geeks". Her parents offer no support either. Dawn's other sibling, Missy (Daria Kalinina), is the darling of the family who can do no wrong. She simply flits around the house in her pink tu-tu and makes Dawn's life look hellish by comparison.
Dawn's life is further complicated by Brandon McCarthy (Brendan Sexton Jr.), the misunderstood juvenile who has taken a liking to her. At the beginning of their "relationship" he tells her he will rape her. This does not happen because of various circumstances, but Dawn ends up falling for this tough guy and eventually losing him when he runs away. Throughout the movie, it appears as if everyone in her life pours their derision upon anything she does, exposing all her weaknesses however carefully they might be hidden. Dawn, in turn, passes this on to the few people that she gets close to.
This was not a realistic depiction of the hells of junior high school. For one thing, girls would pick on other girls, but in no way, whatsoever, would any of them force another to sit on the crapper in front of another as a forms of bullying. These are 11-12 year olds? Uh uh. Maybe 4 years older that would happen, but no one at that age would succumb to a type of humiliation that gross and tasteless.
Our lead character is played brilliantly, and shows her determination in the face of endless adversity - in fact, the acting all around is excellent. But the movie denies the moments of redemption. Such a strong young warrior as Dawn would certainly have had some triumphs to share. While the movie is slow at times, it does pull on your heart string, and is definitely worth watching.
Dawn's life is further complicated by Brandon McCarthy (Brendan Sexton Jr.), the misunderstood juvenile who has taken a liking to her. At the beginning of their "relationship" he tells her he will rape her. This does not happen because of various circumstances, but Dawn ends up falling for this tough guy and eventually losing him when he runs away. Throughout the movie, it appears as if everyone in her life pours their derision upon anything she does, exposing all her weaknesses however carefully they might be hidden. Dawn, in turn, passes this on to the few people that she gets close to.
This was not a realistic depiction of the hells of junior high school. For one thing, girls would pick on other girls, but in no way, whatsoever, would any of them force another to sit on the crapper in front of another as a forms of bullying. These are 11-12 year olds? Uh uh. Maybe 4 years older that would happen, but no one at that age would succumb to a type of humiliation that gross and tasteless.
Our lead character is played brilliantly, and shows her determination in the face of endless adversity - in fact, the acting all around is excellent. But the movie denies the moments of redemption. Such a strong young warrior as Dawn would certainly have had some triumphs to share. While the movie is slow at times, it does pull on your heart string, and is definitely worth watching.
Review ID: 10000000008008804
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perfect and quickReview created: 06/03/08
by:
johnnymalmal ( 2 )
no complaints absolutely perfect.......................
Review ID: 10000000007394543
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Todd Solandz' Portrait of Middle School Life through Dawn WeinerReview created: 08/23/03
by: thevoid99 -- a member of Epinions
Pros:
A Brilliant, Harrowing Masterpiece from Todd Solandz.
A Brilliant, Harrowing Masterpiece from Todd Solandz.
Cons:
Might Be Too Real for Some.
Might Be Too Real for Some.
Ah the joys of childhood. Playing with toys, having fun, having all sorts of friends. Yes, those were pretty fun but when you reached junior high, everything gets f*cked up. Whatever friends you had in elementary where put into whatever sort of cliques around and of course, comes adolescents, rebellion, getting your *ss kicked by bullies. The days of junior high is very bad and unfortunately, doesn t even get any better when you reach high school as you either become the most popular kid in school or the social outcast. In 1995, filmmaker Todd Solandz made a movie about Junior High life...
Review ID: 10000000000383458
Love's a Confusing Thing in My Suburban HomeReview created: 10/17/05
by: ihateu10666 -- a member of Epinions
Pros:
A harrowing, realistic portrayal of the life of a tortured youth.
A harrowing, realistic portrayal of the life of a tortured youth.
Cons:
For some, a bit <i>too</i> harrowing.
For some, a bit <i>too</i> harrowing.
Have you ever taken a look inside of a dollhouse? There's the mommy, the daddy, and the three little children, all special in their own way. They've all got lives just as the Walgreens commercials describe - perfect. Look a bit harder, and this is what you'll find. Dawn Wiener (Heather Matarazzo) is every adolescent problem (teen pregnancy and shoplifting aside) molded into one girl. Every problem. To go into detail would be to spoil the surprise, and I don't want to do that when reviewing such a good film, so I'll make it basic. She's a confusing character, like a book you have to read at...
Review ID: 10000000000383467
Todd Solondz's Welcome to the Dollhouse. As real as they get.Review created: 01/16/06
by: milknchalk -- a member of Epinions
Pros:
The realism, story, acting, everything.
The realism, story, acting, everything.
Cons:
None.
None.
Have you ever watched a movie in which middle school kids are portrayed by people in they're late teens? Or a film that shows childhood as a flawless happy place? I have, and I was sick of it. Sugar coated films that were afraid to accurately portray life simply annoyed me. This film was a breath of fresh air for me. Finally a movie that was unafraid to pry deep into the real life of a kid at that age. Not everyone knows of that way of life. Some people grew up playing football, hung out with the cheerleaders and had a fine time in school, alienating other students. These people won't get it..
Review ID: 10000000000383460
Welcome to My LifeReview created: 12/07/00
by: SadieGlutz -- a member of Epinions
Pros:
it's a poignant and true-to-life depiction of the loneliness of the middle school years
it's a poignant and true-to-life depiction of the loneliness of the middle school years
Cons:
watching it might bring up painful memories
watching it might bring up painful memories
This film is often billed as a "dark comedy" and it was for this reason that I rented it. I must admit that I have a somewhat sick sense of humor and appreciate that particular genre very much. Yet, as I watched it, I realized that it was so much more than a dark comedy. It is an awkwardly comedic look at the pain of the middle school years. While many writers decry the pains of adolescence, director Todd Solondz points out that it is the pre-teen years that are often the most hard to bear. That's how it was for me and many of my friends, anyway. While I was a popular and well-respected...
Review ID: 10000000000383459
take me awayReview created: 06/10/02
by: shocka -- a member of Epinions
Pros:
Todd Solandz hates us enough to show it how it is - wonderfully unpleasant
Todd Solandz hates us enough to show it how it is - wonderfully unpleasant
Cons:
Lots of people will hate it. To them, I say <i>suffer</i>
Lots of people will hate it. To them, I say <i>suffer</i>
Todd Solandz is the writer/director/producer of Welcome to the Dollhouse, the darkly sarcastic view of adolescence, family, and society from the eyes of Dawn, who is well be on her road to one of the poor bastards in Solandz's later work, Happiness. This is not your average teenage movie, if it is a teenage movie at all. 11 year old Dawn Wiener is not the creation of Hollywood executives working on the latest megaplex teenage outing - she is a real life character, a complexly confused loser just like the rest of us. Played spectacularly by Heather Matarazzo, who was probably about 11 when the.
Review ID: 10000000000383466
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