Welcome to the Dollhouse

Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) starring Heather Matarazzo. Written and directed by Todd Solondz.  Dawn Wiener (Matarazzo) is a 13-year-old going through junior-high hell. Unlovely and awkward, she is relentlessly bullied by just about everybody in the social hierarchy at the school, including teachers. Meanwhile, at home, Dawn is neglected by a mother who seems not to love her and to actively dislike her. Her little sister, Missy, gets all the loving attention that Dawn longs for. Her older brother Mark is focused on his future career and can only offer her the cold comfort that high school will suck a little less than junior high. This movie is kind of a slice-of-life look at Dawn's existence, and she is no better off at the end of the movie than at the beginning. We can only laugh and sigh and remember how junior high was for us. (English subtitles are available on the disc, as well as closed captions.) Grade: B+