Welcome to the Dollhouse
| Year: | 1996 |
| Director: | Todd Solondz |
| Writer: | Todd Solondz |
| Cast: | Heather Matarazzo |
Strange choice of material for a first time indie director as a 13 year old goes through the trials and tribulations of cusp-of-puberty life. Dawn (Matarazzo) deals with hostility from classmates, infatuation with a rebellious senior who doesn't know she's alive and a family who couldn't care less about her. She has virtually no redeeming features (what I read in one review was the thing that set it apart from other ostracised teen films) and nothing to make you feel for her apart from the lot in her life that we've all gone through (albeit blown somewhat out of proportion).
Mildly interesting while it's happening, but nothing really more than a snapshot of her miserable life - made even more pointless by there being no climax or resolution, the movie seeming to end not because the story has finished but because the 90 minutes are up. A great performance by Dawns deadpan older brother.
Mildly interesting while it's happening, but nothing really more than a snapshot of her miserable life - made even more pointless by there being no climax or resolution, the movie seeming to end not because the story has finished but because the 90 minutes are up. A great performance by Dawns deadpan older brother.