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Welcome to the Dollhouse 1996

Awkward and insecure Dawn Weiner endures constant humiliation from her peers and family, leaving her feeling isolated and yearning for connection. Caught between the pressures of nerdy conformity and the threat of bullying, she struggles to find her place in the social hierarchy of middle school. As she confronts the harsh realities of adolescence, Dawn must learn to navigate a world that often feels cruel and unfair.

Awkward and insecure Dawn Weiner endures constant humiliation from her peers and family, leaving her feeling isolated and yearning for connection. Caught between the pressures of nerdy conformity and the threat of bullying, she struggles to find her place in the social hierarchy of middle school. As she confronts the harsh realities of adolescence, Dawn must learn to navigate a world that often feels cruel and unfair.

Does Welcome to the Dollhouse have end credit scenes?

No!

Welcome to the Dollhouse does not have end credit scenes. You can leave when the credits roll.

Meet the Full Cast and Actors of Welcome to the Dollhouse

Explore the complete cast of Welcome to the Dollhouse, including both lead and supporting actors. Learn who plays each character, discover their past roles and achievements, and find out what makes this ensemble cast stand out in the world of film and television.


Ratings and Reviews for Welcome to the Dollhouse

See how Welcome to the Dollhouse is rated across major platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Compare audience scores and critic reviews to understand where Welcome to the Dollhouse stands among top-rated movies in its genre.


Metacritic

83

Metascore

7.7

User Score

Rotten Tomatoes
review

%

TOMATOMETER

review

0%

User Score

TMDB

71

%

User Score

Take the Ultimate Welcome to the Dollhouse Movie Quiz

Challenge your knowledge of Welcome to the Dollhouse with this fun and interactive movie quiz. Test yourself on key plot points, iconic characters, hidden details, and memorable moments to see how well you really know the film.


Dawn's Turbulent Journey: A Quiz on Welcome to the Dollhouse: Test your knowledge on the complex themes and events of 'Welcome to the Dollhouse' as Dawn navigates her challenging adolescence.

What grade is Dawn Wiener in at the beginning of the movie?

Awards & Nominations for Welcome to the Dollhouse

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Discover all the awards and nominations received by Welcome to the Dollhouse, from Oscars to film festival honors. Learn how Welcome to the Dollhouse and its cast and crew have been recognized by critics and the industry alike.


12th Independent Spirit Awards 1997

Nomination

Best Feature

Todd Solondz
Nomination

Best Director

Todd Solondz
Nomination

Best Supporting Male

Heather Matarazzo
Win

Best Debut Performance

Heather Matarazzo
Nomination

Best Debut Performance

Brendan Sexton III

Full Plot Summary and Ending Explained for Welcome to the Dollhouse

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Read the complete plot summary of Welcome to the Dollhouse, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.


Twelve-year-old Dawn Wiener is a timid and socially awkward seventh-grader navigating the challenges of adolescence in a middle-class suburban area of New Jersey. She grapples with her insecurities, especially with her older brother, Mark, who is deep into his studies and plays clarinet in a garage band, avoiding relationships with girls to focus on his future. Meanwhile, her younger sister, Missy, is self-indulgent and cunning, often teasing Dawn and prancing around the house in a tutu. Their mother, Marj, is a critical figure who favors Missy in familial disputes, while their father, Harv, is a gentle soul who inevitably aligns with Marj over Dawn.

At school, Dawn faces relentless mockery; her locker is vandalized, and she is unfairly punished when class bully Brandon McCarthy attempts to cheat off her test answers. A further incident occurs when she defensively shoots a spitball at a teacher while being harassed by Brandon and his cronies during an assembly—leading to yet another detention.

Meanwhile, Steve Rodgers, a dashing and charming aspiring rock musician and a friend to her brother, comes into the picture. After Dawn’s romantic feelings for him burgeon during their time together, she faces discouragement from one of Steve’s ex-girlfriends, who warns her not to get her hopes up.

After a heated exchange where Dawn calls Brandon a “retard,” he retaliates with menacing threats of sexual violence. His initial attempt to attack her fails, but he then calls her, demanding a meeting. When she meets him the following day, he surprisingly engages her in a heartfelt conversation and kisses her. Later that night, a dispute breaks out at dinner regarding her clubhouse, where Marj commands her siblings to destroy it, depriving Dawn of dessert in the process.

Dawn engages in playful moments with Brandon at the clubhouse but reveals her crush on Steve, resulting in Brandon leaving angrily. Heartbroken, she finds Ralphy—the only person who seemed to understand her—trying to soothe her, but she reacts dismissively to his offer of comfort.

At the family’s 20th anniversary party, Dawn plans to approach Steve but falters, leading to a humiliating encounter where Missy shoves her into a kiddie pool while everyone laughs at her misfortune. Overwhelmed by these events, she ultimately destroys the videotape of the party that captures her embarrassing moment and briefly threatens Missy with a hammer while she sleeps.

As the days pass, Brandon faces legal troubles and is suspended from school for alleged drug activities. Complications deepen when Dawn accidentally neglects her little sister, Missy, who ends up kidnapped after a disagreement. Driven by the desire to find her sister, Dawn stumbles across Brandon’s home and, after some dramatic exchanges, discovers his tumultuous family life. Despite their connection, Brandon decides he must leave town.

When news reaches Dawn that Missy’s tutu was discovered in Times Square, she ventures into the city pursuing any leads to find her sister. After a tense night, she hears from her brother Mark, who informs her that Missy has been rescued unharmed by the police. Upon her return, Dawn faces the scorn of her classmates as she offers a thank-you speech for the support rendered. Mark candidly advises her that she should not expect life to improve until high school, leaving Dawn to contemplate her future as she board a bus to Walt Disney World, joining her choir members in an unenthusiastic rendition of their school anthem.

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

Watch Trailers, Clips & Behind-the-Scenes for Welcome to the Dollhouse

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Watch official trailers, exclusive clips, cast interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage from Welcome to the Dollhouse. Dive deeper into the making of the film, its standout moments, and key production insights.


Restricted Trailer

Cars Featured in Welcome to the Dollhouse

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Explore all cars featured in Welcome to the Dollhouse, including their makes, models, scenes they appear in, and their significance to the plot. A must-read for car enthusiasts and movie buffs alike.


Buick

1990

Century

Chevrolet

1995

Caprice

Chrysler

1993

LeBaron Convertible

Chrysler

1986

LeBaron Town & Country

Ford

1967

F-100

International

1990

3000-Series

MCI

1991

102 B3

MCI

1985

96 A3

Mercedes-Benz

1994

C-Klasse W202

Pontiac

1982

Firebird Trans Am

Movie Themes and Keywords

Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.


social outcastbullyingfirst crushcoming of ageschoolfemale protagonistpublic humiliation12 year oldoutcastjunior high schoolmiddle schoolsibling rivalrypariahsister sister relationshipdysfunctional familyhumiliationgirl wears eyeglassesyoung girlteen dramacoming of age dramaabuselittle sisterteenage girl sexual awakeningbullycult filmspitballschool assemblytauntinglesbian slursuspected lesbiancynicismsexual awakeningteenage boyteen angstbrother sister relationshipnerdy girldark comedykidnappingsatireattempted rapeindependent filmkissf ratedeyeglassesboy wears eyeglassessatire comedyteen comedyalternative comedydomestic dramatragedy drama

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