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.

Director:

Todd Solondz

Writer:

Todd Solondz

Stars:

Heather Matarazzo, Victoria Davis, Christina Brucato

4 wins & 11 nominations.

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

Storyline

Seventh-grade is no fun. Especially for Dawn Weiner when everyone at school calls you 'Dog-Face' or 'Wiener-Dog.' Not to mention if your older brother is 'King of the Nerds' and your younger sister is a cutesy ballerina who gets you in trouble but is your parents' favorite. And that's just the beginning--her life seems to be falling apart when she faces rejection from the older guy in her brother's band that she has a crush on, her parents want to tear down her 'Special People's Club' clubhouse, and her sister is abducted....

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Plot Keywords:

school | ballerina | social outcast | outcast | nerd | 

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Taglines:

Not all girls want to play with dolls.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Pictures Classics

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 May 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Faggots and Retards

Filming Locations:

New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$800,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$3,813,000 (USA) (19 July 1996)

Gross:

$4,429,002 (USA) (13 September 1996)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Suburban Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

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.

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Quotes

Brandon: Yo, Weiner, you better get ready, 'cause at three o'clock today, I'm gonna RAPE you!

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Connections

Referenced in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: Episode #7.174 (2009)

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Soundtracks

"Sweet Candy"
Music and Lyrics by Jill Wisoff
Sung by Daniel Rey
Produced by Joel Diamond
Courtesy of Fantasy Creature Productions (BMI)

User Reviews

One of the best indies; Long live Wiener Dog!

WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE (1996) **** Heather Matarazzo, Brian Sexton Jr., Eric Mabius, Matthew Faber, Daria Kalinina, Angela Pietropinto. Easily one of the best independent films ever produced. Matarazzo is brilliant perfection as 11 year old Dawn Wiener - Wiener Dog - who is trying desperately to survive the 7th grade NJ suburban hell with her existence as a gawky, nerdy yet smarter- than-the-rest protagonist facing every conceivable roadblock to hurdle including a dimwitted hunky high schooler and a seemingly threatening classmate (Sexton who is also great) who can't decide if he wants to "rape" her. Heartbreaking and all too close to the bone perfectly realized depiction of how judgemental we all are and just how harrowing adolescence really is. Dare not to be angered when her self-indulgent mother takes away her cake at the dinner table while the rest of the monstrous family greedily eat their desserts. Black comedy satire and documentarian genres blending seamlessly to a genuine masterpiece of poignancy sharply observant parable of anomie and angst by writer and director Todd Solondz (who won the Best Picture prize at Sundance). Wickedly funny and dead on accurate.