10 Amazing Teen Movies You Might Have Missed

Welcome To The Dollhouse can be a difficult watch and if you have seen any of Todd Solondz’s films you might understand why. It follows a snapshot in the life of Dawn Wiener, a Junior High student whose life is a veritable Hell.

She is endlessly bullied and those who do show her any glimmer of kindness snatch it away just as quickly. Her home life is not much better, as her young sister holds the focus of her parent and her older brother is going on to better things. He is intelligent and has recruited the very popular Steve to his band. Dawn sees hope of a better life if she can get some attention from Steve but like all things in this film, that isn’t going to work out well for her.

All of the relationships she has with other kids are all worryingly dysfunctional. Her only friend is a sickly looking neighbourhood child, until she develops a tenuous friendship with the school bully, Brandon, who demands she meet him to be “raped”, something she actually turns up for.

Dawn is played by Heather Matarazzo, who was 11 at the time. Her performance is shocking and amazingly mature, it may be hard to decide between being impressed and concerned that Solondz was able to get such a performance from an 11-year-old.

Despite its darkness, this is a wonderfully funny film at times. It’s well scripted throughout and the attention to detail in the portrayal of life for Dawn Wiener is terrific.