Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995)-"R"

Run Time:88 minutes

3 and 1/2 stars out of 4

The director of Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995), Todd Solondz, is probably better known for his highly acclaimed 1998 film, Happiness, which also dealt with sexual topics. At the time of Dollhouse's release, Solondz had only made one other film, an untrackable 1988 movie, Fear, Anxiety & Depression, which wasn't widely released in theaters, video, or television, so it is pretty much unknown. Solondz, however makes an amazingly accurate picture of early adolescence and "geekhood" with Dollhouse, one that was surprisingly poignant and realistic. The story is of Dawn Wiener (played by Heather Matarazzo, an unattractive, nerdy, and socially unskilled 7th grade girl, struggling to be liked by her friends and family. Growing up in a high-strung family with a little sister that's one of those cutesy-pies everyone loves, named Missy (Daria Kalinina) and a dorky, college-obsessed older brother, Mark (Matthew Faber), Dawn gets no attention or appreciation. Her mother, Marj (Angela Pietropinto), is forever taking the side of Missy and begging Dawn to be more like her little sister, and her father, Harv (Bill Buell), is one of those fathers that means well, but lets the mother take over and control everything. Dawn is pressed for attention, love, and friendship in her life, her only friend being a slightly younger kid next door named Ralphie, who's perpetually being called a fag and a retard. One day, Dawn accidentally crosses one of the school tough guys, Brandon McCarthy (Brendan Sexton III), and he threatens to rape her after school. Dawn is scared at first, but then curious, and even willing after a while, and she gets to know Brandon as a fellow lonely and socially unacceptable kid, one of those types who covers it up with a carefree macho attitude. Then Brandon runs away, and at about the same time, she is humiliated by her secret crush (a popular band-mate of her older brother), her clubhouse is threatened to be torn down, and it is her fault when Missy is abducted after ballet practice. Things look terrible for her, and you can see the emotional scarring as it takes place, something that is very powerful and realistic. I truly felt sorry for Dawn, wanting her to be cool at junior high and accepted by her family, and I could completely identify her with myself sometimes or with someone that I know. Despite a disappointing ending, I thought Solondz's Welcome to the Dollhouse was interesting, painful, realistic, and even a bit scary, and it truly shows how damaging teasing and bullying is on kids.