WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE
A film review by Michael John Legeros
Copyright 1996 Michael John Legeros
(Sony)
Directed by Todd Solondz
Written by Todd Solondz
Cast Heather Matarazzo, Brendan Sexton Jr., Matthew Faber,
Daria Kalinina, Eric Mabius, Bill Buell, Angela
Pietropinto, Scott Coogan
MPAA Rating "R" (presumably for language)
Running Time 93 minutes
Reviewed at The Rialto, Raleigh, NC (22JUN96)
==
First-time writer/director/producer Todd Solondz won Best Picture at the Sundance Film Festival with this cute, cutting, and very black comedy about a seventh-grade girl desperately trying to survive in Junior High Hell. Newcomer Heather Matarazzo touches the heart as the tragic Dawn Weiner, huh huh huh, the bespectacled school outcast who is repeatedly dumped upon by her teachers, friends, and family. Though nowhere near as funny as the rave reviews have suggested-- any episode of "The Simpsons" crackles with more knowing wit-- WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE still succeeds as both a character comedy and a social satire. As in Larry Clark's KIDS, the story situations-- and the accompanying language-- are also brutally frank. Pay attention to the psychology behind a young man's threat of sexual violence and Dawn's response to same. I'm tempted to label this movie as "anti-Disney" or, if you prefer, the antithesis of mainstream family fare. However, as Mickey owns Mirimax, the corporate giant could well be the next home for Mr. Solondz and his remarkable talents.
Grade: B+
--
Mike Legeros - Raleigh, NC
legeros@nando.net (h) - legeros@unx.sas.com (w)
Visit me in MOVIE HELL
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