Comedy drama

Welcome to the Dollhouse (1996): Cast, Ratings & Box Office

Name: Welcome to the Dollhouse
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Released: 1996-03-22
Duration: 1 h 28 min
Cast: Heather Matarazzo, Christina Brucato

Welcome to the Dollhouse (1996) movie poster

Welcome to the Dollhouse is a 1996 comedy drama directed by Todd Solondz, starring Heather Matarazzo and Christina Brucato. It runs 1 hour 28 minutes and earned $4.6 million worldwide. It won 1 award from 5 nominations, including Best Debut Performance at the Spirit Awards 1997. Critics gave it 83 on Metacritic.

worldwide gross: $4.6M
award won: 1
Metascore: 83

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Watch the trailer Read the plot summary

Released: March 22, 1996
Runtime: 1h 28m (88 min)
Director: Todd Solondz
Genres: Drama , Comedy
Original language: English
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics
After the credits: No No extra scene

The story

What Is Welcome to the Dollhouse About?

The premise of Welcome to the Dollhouse without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

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.

Welcome to the Dollhouse Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags

social outcast
bullying
first crush
coming of age
school
female protagonist
public humiliation
12 year old
outcast
junior high school
middle school
sibling rivalry

+38 more

pariah
sister sister relationship
dysfunctional family
humiliation
girl wears eyeglasses
young girl
teen drama
coming of age drama
abuse
little sister
teenage girl sexual awakening
bully
cult film
spitball
school assembly
taunting
lesbian slur
suspected lesbian
cynicism
sexual awakening
teenage boy
teen angst
brother sister relationship
nerdy girl
dark comedy
kidnapping
satire
attempted rape
independent film
kiss
f rated
eyeglasses
boy wears eyeglasses
satire comedy
teen comedy
alternative comedy
domestic drama
tragedy drama

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Cast & crew

Welcome to the Dollhouse Cast

Heather Matarazzo leads the cast, with Christina Brucato. Directed by Todd Solondz.

Director Todd Solondz

From the director

More from Todd Solondz

More films directed by Todd Solondz, best-rated first: Happiness, Life During Wartime, Dark Horse and Wiener-Dog.

Full filmography

Ratings

Welcome to the Dollhouse Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Welcome to the Dollhouse 83 on Metacritic.

Metacritic

83 Metascore

User score 7.7
See on Metacritic
TMDB

71% User score
See on TMDB

Plot

Welcome to the Dollhouse Plot Summary

What happens in Welcome to the Dollhouse from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

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.

Full summary

The whole story of Welcome to the Dollhouse, scene by scene

Read the full summary

Timeline of events

Box office

Welcome to the Dollhouse Box Office

Welcome to the Dollhouse grossed $4.6 million worldwide.

1996 box office

Worldwide gross

$4.6M

US & Canada: $4.6M

Awards

Welcome to the Dollhouse Awards & Nominations

Welcome to the Dollhouse won 1 award from 5 nominations, including Best Debut Performance at the Spirit Awards 1997.

1 win5 nominations1 ceremony

Spirit Awards 1997 1 win · 5 nominations
- Won Best Debut Performance – Heather Matarazzo
- Nominated Best Debut Performance – Brendan Sexton III
- Nominated Best Director – Todd Solondz
- Nominated Best Feature
- Nominated Best Supporting Male

Videos

Welcome to the Dollhouse Trailers & Videos

3 videos: 1 trailer and 2 featurettes.

Welcome to the Dollhouse Trailer: Restricted Trailer — Restricted Trailer

Featurette TCM Slumberground | Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995)
Featurette Mark Kermode reviews Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) | BFI Player

Quiz

How Well Do You Know Welcome to the Dollhouse?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

Question 1: not answered
Question 2: not answered
Question 3: not answered
Question 4: not answered
Question 5: not answered
Question 6: not answered
Question 7: not answered
Question 8: not answered
Question 9: not answered
Question 10: not answered

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

Cars

Cars in Welcome to the Dollhouse

12 cars on screen, including the 1990 Buick Century and the 1986 Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country.

All 12 cars

1990 Buick Century Minor role
1986 Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country Minor role
1990 International 3000-Series Minor role
1991 MCI 102 B3 Minor role

Details

Welcome to the Dollhouse Also Known As

15 alternative titles, including “인형의 집으로 오세요” and “Bienvenido a la casa de muñecas”.

Also known as: 인형의 집으로 오세요
Bienvenido a la casa de muñecas
Willkommen im Tollhaus
Fuga dalla scuola media
Bienvenidos a la casa de muñecas
Bem-Vindo à Casa de Bonecas
Добро пожаловать в кукольный дом
Bienvenue dans l'âge ingrat
ברוכים הבאים לבית הבובות
欢迎光临娃娃屋
Bebek Evine Hoşgeldiniz
Isten hozott a babaházban

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Witaj w domku dla lalek
ウェルカム・ドールハウス
Benvinguts a la casa de nines