Welcome to the Dollhouse

Starring: Heather Matarazzo, Christinia Brucato, Eric Mabius, Matthew Faber, Brendan Sexton III, Ken Leung, Angela Pietropinto, Bill Buell, Daria Kalinina
Directed by: Todd Solondz
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Drama
1996

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: An awkward 7th grader (Heather Matarazzo) struggles with school, home, and her entire life.

Review:

Tim: I know that Welcome to the Dollhouse is a generally well-regarded movie by critics. It's this small, independent film that people really connected with. I didn't. I saw many of the positives that people highlighted, but it felt too exploitative, too mean-spirited, too bleak for me. Some of it might be that the events that happen here should have been focused on someone older. High school is still young, but the mature themes, events, discussions that happen in this movie- it's all too much to focus on for a student in 7th grade. Are we talking about a 14 year old here? I know things were different in the mid 1990s, but this just didn't sit right with me. There's a few scenes where another character talks about raping the main character (again, a 7th grader) and then later kind of tries to. The 90s were a different time, but still, that feels like it crosses too big a line.

I wasn't a fan of Todd Solondz's script or his direction. The tone felt wrong to me. It was almost like he reveled in the misery he was creating for this character. The themes he tackles are mature, but he feels too close to it- the movie needed more objectivity, it felt too personal, almost sleazy in a way. You can contrast this with a movie like Napoleon Dynamite. It was released almost a decade later, but it tackles a very similar subject in a similar format. But, that one was played more for laughs, dealt with older characters, and felt kind in its depiction of the central misfits. Those feelings are absent here. I almost felt like Solondz was a little boy, holding a magnifying glass up to an ant colony, reveling in the destruction he was causing. I know this is all fiction, but tone matters and the tone and approach felt completely off to me. As a result, I never really cared about any of the characters. I often felt uncomfortable by Dawn Wiener (seriously?) and her awkwardness, but I never really cared about her. The movie is too brutal and unrelenting, where most of the jokes feel unfunny.

While I do have a ton of complaints about this movie, I actually thought the film as a whole was decent. I recognize that Solondz elevates this independent film to something that does make us feel something. It wasn't often things I was interested in feeling, but this isn't a movie many people will feel ambivalent about. It's memorable and it has staying power. It does try to give a more "modern" and unflinching look at what life is like for early teenagers. It's not all good and adult ideas and events seep into their lives in ways that most parents would feel incredibly uncomfortable about. I do give the film credit for showing this, as much as I didn't want to see it.

Heather Matarazzo is terrific in the film, which makes a big difference. She pours herself into this character and fully embraces the awkwardness that makes her character so uncomfortable to watch. It's an exceptionally strong performance that greatly helps the movie. I thought Eric Mabius was pretty bad. His performance felt forced at the wrong times and I never believed he wasn't just acting. Brendan Sexton III might have had an awful character, but his performance had real emotional depth. He's quite effective in the role. Daria Kalinina might not be great, but I thought she worked well.

I wouldn't say that the film was especially funny, but I admit it does have its moments. The scene between Dawn and the other girl in the bathroom is so bizarre, but hilarious. I admit I was laughing out loud during that sequences. It was really an exceptionally well orchestrated sequence. For the rest of the film, the laughs came far too infrequently.

I'll admit that Welcome to the Dollhouse does some things right from a technical perspective. I'll give Todd Solondz' film some credit and I do think overall, it's a decent movie. However, it's not one that I especially liked. I wasn't bored throughout the film- I just disliked the characters, the tone, the overall approach Solondz took. I recognize what he was trying to do and perhaps he accomplished it. He could have had the same result while also making a better movie, though. Yes, the film might be decent, but I also think it's vastly overrated by the majority of critics. There's nothing special here.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6.5



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