I have not yet gone to IMDB to read reviews for the 1995 Todd Solondz written and directed film, “Welcome to the Dollhouse.” Whenever I write a review of an older movie for my own amusement or the amusement and entertainment of whoever may be reading them, I like to have not read much or anything about said film before I write my own analysis. I do remember Siskel and Ebert praising Solondz’ film on an episode of their show back at that time. I also rented it when it came out on vhs back around 1996. I was not that impressed with “Welcome to the Dollhouse” back in 1996, however, like many films I have gone back and watched 15-20 years later, I am finding that my movie brain was not developed enough back then to appreciate some films I saw at the time. Other examples of this, what I am sure will soon be a stringently researched topic at universities across the country, phenomenon, are “Trust,” “The Sweet Hereafter,” and “Spanking the Monkey.” I did not dislike these films in the 90’s, I just felt so-so about them. Having seen all of these over the last year now, I have found that my brain is now better able to focus and take in what I am watching, whereas, in the past, I am sure that other things were on my mind, causing me not to be able to grasp what I was watching. At the same time, however, I can cite examples of films I loved back in the 90’s and, having seen them again recently, loved just as much now. Such films in this category include, “Oleanna,” “Fargo,” “Glengarry Glen Ross,” “The Music of Chance,” and “Death and the Maiden.”
The 1990’s was a fantastic decade for independent films, as any movie buff knows. Studios such as Miramax, Sony Pictures Classics, and New Line and their Fine Line division helped make this so. One such film from Sony Pictures Classics was the previously mentioned, “Welcome to the Dollhouse.” In this film, Heather Matarazzo plays Dawn Wiener, a nerdy-looking girl who is given the requisite hard time in school and who is obviously not the favorite child of her parents (Angela Pietropinto and Bill Buell). Dawn’s older brother, Mark (Matthew Faber), is an intelligent high school student who will likely be very successful in the computer industry, and her little sister, Missy (Daria Kalinina), loves ballet. Dawn’s nickname at her school is Wienerdog. She is not particularly ugly, however, as will happen in junior high, she has been the assigned object of ridicule in her school. The sad mob mentality that our society tends to adopt always begins in grade school.
Being in junior high, Dawn is beginning to discover her sexuality. She develops a crush on Steve Rodgers (Eric Mabius), the high schooler who her brother has asked to be in his garage band, which is brilliantly named, “The Quadratics.” Steve is a handsome young man and Dawn notices. At the same time, she is developing a crush on one of the junior high boys who torments her at school, a boy named Brandon McCarthy (Brendon Sexton III). Brandon is also developing a crush on Dawn, however, his crush manifests itself in a way that neither they, nor the audience is probably meant to understand. Many things that happen to us in life, especially in our younger years, defy explanation. It is made clear that Brandon is from “the wrong side of the tracks,” however, this seems too simple of an explanation. It is clear, though, that his idea of love and physicality needs adjustment.
As with most films I enjoy, I found all of the performances in “Welcome to the Dollhouse” to be fantastic, especially Matarazzo as Dawn, Sexton as Brandon, and Faber as Dawn’s brother. There are no false moments or artificial movie moments in this film. There are not stupid pratfalls wherein children throw food at each other and cause a teacher to make an ass out of him/herself. The adults in the film are shown to be normal people with their own issues because, as we all know, just because one is in his or her 30’s or 40’s does not mean that all has been figured out.
The films does focus on Dawn and fortunately for the viewer this is great as, as mentioned, Matarazzo’s performance is great. She does a wonderful job of conveying the sometimes never-ending confusion which most junior high aged kids endure. It does so deftly within the very good script written by the director of the film, Todd Solondz. This was his second film after the 1989 film, “Fear, Anxiety, and Depression,” which I have not seen. I must see “Happiness” soon! From everything I hear about it, it is the kind of movie I would love. I think it is one of those “It’s not for everyone” movies to which I tend to gravitate. I am glad that I rewatched “Welcome to the Dollhouse.” I recommend it highly to everyone. Netflix has it and it is still in print from Amazon and other fine dvd retailers. I am glad I walked back into the Dollhouse and felt Welcome. Yeah….just see the movie. It’s very good
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