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Wiener endures puberty, suburbia.
Review: Damn, it took me over 10 years to finally watch Todd
Solondz'
seminal film, Welcome to the Dollhouse. But now that I have, I
understand all the hoopla.
Heather Matarazzo stars as Dawn Wiener, a geeky & awkward
11-year-old girl trying to cope with adolescence and a family that
doesn't understand her. Junior high for Dawn is pure hell as the other
students tease her, torture her and call her, "Wiener Dog."
With love in short supply at home, Dawn seeks attention
elsewhere. As she develops a crush on the local high school hunk and
dreams of being his girlfriend, she is threatened and surprisingly
sought after by the school bully. These early experiences (and
Dawn's outfits) are a sight to behold.
Dollhouse takes bittersweet and awkward moments to a whole
new level. Happy moments are rare for Dawn, but she does seem to
revel in them when they come. There's a keen satisfaction in
witnessing her innocence and brief moments of joy.
In some instances, Dawn is weak and displays no self-confidence,
in others, she stands up for herself and displays a tremendous
amount of courage. This duality plays out well as Dawn struggles
with almost every facet of her pubescent childhood.
It's no wonder Dawn wishes for
a brighter future. She wants to find herself and get away from her
unloving family and cruel classmates. And for an hour and a half,
you will be taken away from your miserable life and realize things
aren't that bad.
Thanks, Todd.
Learn more: IMDb
DVD version viewed: Welcome to the Dollhouse
(Columbia Tristar Home Video, UPC 043396825697)
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