IMDb > Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995)
Welcome to the Dollhouse
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Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 6)
Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) -- Insightful look at an unattractive 7th grader as she struggles to cope with un-attentive parents, snobbish classmates, a smart older brother, an attractive younger sister, and her own insecurities.
Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) -- Open-ended Trailer from Sony
Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) -- Insightful look at an unattractive 7th grader as she struggles to cope with un-attentive parents, snobbish classmates, a smart older brother, an attractive younger sister, and her own insecurities.
Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) -- kino-zeit.de - Trailer (Flash)

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Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   12,540 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer:
Todd Solondz (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Welcome to the Dollhouse on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
24 May 1996 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Not all girls want to play with dolls.
Plot:
Insightful look at an unattractive 7th grader as she struggles to cope with un-attentive parents, snobbish classmates, a smart older brother, an attractive younger sister, and her own insecurities. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
4 wins & 11 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(24 articles)
The Reelist: David Brind on Teen Angst
 (From Tribeca Film. 10 November 2009, 7:30 AM, PST)

Girls on Film: The Hollywood Dollhouse
 (From Cinematical. 2 November 2009, 6:32 PM, PST)

User Comments:
painfully true examination of the horror that is childhood more (163 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Heather Matarazzo ... Dawn Wiener
Victoria Davis ... Lolita

Christina Brucato ... Cookie

Christina Vidal ... Cynthia
Siri Howard ... Chrissy
Brendan Sexton III ... Brandon McCarthy (as Brendan Sexton, Jr.)
Telly Pontidis ... Jed
Herbie Duarte ... Lance
Scott Coogan ... Troy
Daria Kalinina ... Missy Wiener
Matthew Faber ... Mark Wiener

Josiah Trager ... Kenny

Ken Leung ... Barry

Dimitri DeFresco ... Ralphy (as Dimitri Iervolino)
Rica Martens ... Mrs. Grissom
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Faggots and Retards (USA) (working title)
Middle Child
more
MPAA:
Rated R for language.
Runtime:
88 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Goofs:
Continuity: While in the gymnasium listening to a speech, there are three bullies sitting behind Dawn spitting spit balls at her. She is spit ball-free in one shot, but in the next shot, a close-up, she has several on her. more
Quotes:
Dawn Weiner: Why do you hate me?
Lolita: Because you're ugly.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Life During Wartime (2009) more
Soundtrack:
Get It While You Can more

FAQ

Chapter headings, an unofficial version, v1.00:
more
40 out of 41 people found the following comment useful.
painfully true examination of the horror that is childhood, 30 July 2005
7/10
Author: Charles Herold (cherold) from United States

Grimly convincing portrayal of life in junior high school for the unpopular. If you aren't blown away by how realistic this is then you weren't unpopular enough: this is the real deal.

This movie strips away the rosy patina of nostalgia that covers most other films that portray the grim nature of childhood. I admire the film for avoiding the common trap of making the lead an innocent victim. Heather is, when the opportunity arises, just as cruel as anyone else in the film. The movie doesn't make Heather a child, but instead makes her a confused human being full of conflicting emotions such as hatred, lust, anguish and guilt.

I think to understand this movie though, you need to realize that you are viewing everything from Heather's point of view. Teachers and parents are ridiculously unfair, classmates are alarmingly sadistic, and you could point at some action and say, oh, I doubt that would happen, but there's a strong emotional truth; this is what it feels like to be an unhappy child.

When I watch movies about unpopular kids, I am always disappointed because their lives are better than mine was, and this is the first movie I could point to and say, if you want to see what I was dealing with in Junior High, watch Dollhouse. But while I always wanted a movie that shows the unvarnished truth, it is really difficult to watch. Although if you can make it through the first half hour it gets just a shade less horrific. And it does have a quirky sense of humor that lightens it some. I avoided this movie for years because I was afraid it would be too painful, and a friend said no, it's not that painful, and she was sort of right and sort of wrong. But it's definitely worth seeing.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Was this like anyones school experience? johnnyknox07
Dawn Weiner FilmStudentCentral
Why do you always have to be such a *beep* delta_fan_313
This is the most disturbing film ever, FACT! Cremasterfan
Should I show this in class? syntheea118
Chapter headings, v1.00: annevejb
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