Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995)

An unattractive seventh grader struggles to cope with inattentive parents, snobbish classmates, a smart older brother, an attractive younger sister, and her own insecurities in suburban New Jersey.

Director:

Todd Solondz

Writer:

Todd Solondz

Stars:

Heather Matarazzo, Christina Brucato, Victoria Davis

4 wins & 16 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 | social outcast | first crush | bullying | bully | 

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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:

The Playpen, 687 8th Ave, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$800,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,813,000, 19 July 1996

Gross USA:

$4,771,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Suburban Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of Eric Mabius, who portrays Steve Rodgers.

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Goofs

In the principal's PA address he says, "Good morning, students..." but the clock next to the speaker shows the time as 12:30.

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Quotes

[after seeing Dawn about to enter a school bathroom stall, then going over to the sink]
Lolita: You didn't come in here to wash your hands.
Dawn Weiner: Y - yes, I did.
Lolita: You came in here to take a shit.
Dawn Weiner: No, really. I don't have to go. My hands were just dirty, that's all.
Lolita: Liar. I can smell you from here.

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Connections

Featured in Best! Movies! Ever!: Nerds (2007)

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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.