Welcome to the Dollhouse and Happiness

"At eleven I was at the peak of my creative powers: I was writing stories and playlets, putting together poetryprojects. I was absorbed by my 'work.' At twelve I was no longer reading or writing, just counting off days and checking them off. I was interested in survival." - Todd Solondz

"Mordantly hilarious suburban comedy... excrutiatingly funny" - Janet Maslin, The New York Times

Welcome to the Dollhouse is one of the first independent films I saw - and my introduction to Todd Solondz. This film is the epitome of cult classics. It didn't herald much at the box office but continues to be a talked-about and re-watched film today.

The protagonist, Dawn Weiners, is an 11 year old girl struggling with the beginning of a long bout with puberty. Like Solondz's other films, it is set in a suburb in New Jersey. Dawn Wieners lives with her parents, older brother, and little sister. Her little sister, much prettier than Dawn, is treated like a princess. Her older brother, good at school and destined for a good school, is ignored by his parents except to praise him for his academics. Dawn is ignored all together. Awkward, lanky, and socially inept, Dawn is still playing in clubhouses and playing make-believe when she enters junior high.
Throughout the film Dawn is facing the challenges of adolescence without much grace. Her young sexual nature is aroused by the high school's rock band god who is tutored by her brother. She is constantly harassed by another school misfit, Brendan, and made fun of at school. In the end, Dawn attempts to rescue her little sister who was kidnapped by traveling to New York alone. Her parents don't even realize that Dawn is gone.
This film, though dark at times, is a humorous look at the most awkward of preteens. I watched this as a freshman in high school and, if anything, it put things into a brighter perspective for myself.
Here is the Wikipedia site for the movie.
For reviews of this movie, check here.

My favorite dialogue of the movie?

DAWN
Brandon, are you still going to rape me?

BRANDON
What time is it?

DAWN
I don’t know. But I guess I don’t have to be home yet.

BRANDON
Nah, there’s not enough time.

DAWN
Thanks, Brandon.

BRANDON
[Affectionately holding her close] Yeah, but just remember, this didn’t happen. I mean no one . . . because if you do, I really will rape you next time.

DAWN
Okay.

Theatrical Release
5/24/1996

Director Credit
Todd Solondz Director
Cast Credit
Heather Matarazzo Dawn Wiener
Victoria Davis Lolita
Christina Brucato Cookie
Christina Vidal Cynthia
Siri Howard Chrissy
Brendan Sexton Brandon McCarthy
Telly Pontidis Jed
Herbie Duarte Lance
Scott Coogan Troy
Daria Kalinina Missy Wiener
Matthew Faber Mark Wiener
Josiah Trager Kenny
Ken Leung Barry
Dimitri Iervolino Ralphy
Rica Martens Mrs Grissom
Angela Pietropinto Mrs Wiener
Bill Buell Mr Wiener
Eric Mabius Steve Rodgers
Stacey Moseley Mary Ellen Moriarty
Will Lyman Mr Edwards
Elizabeth Martin Mrs Iannone
Zsanne Pitta Ginger Friedman
Richard Gould Mr Kasdan
Beverly Hecht Steve's Girlfriend
Teddy Coluca Police Sergeant
Tommy Fager Tommy McCarthy
James O'Donoghue Mr McCarthy
Production Credits Credit
Dan Partland Co-Producer
Donna L Bascom Executive Producer
Todd Solondz Producer
Jason Kliot Associate Producer
Ted Skillman Co-Producer
Joana Vicente Associate Producer
Susan A Stover Associate Producer
Production Companies Credit
Suburban Pictures Production Company
Distribution Companies Credit
Sony Pictures Classics Theatrical Distributor
Columbia TriStar Home Video Video Distributor
ARP Theatrical Distributor (France)
Vertigo Films Theatrical Distributor (Spain)
Kinowelt International Theatrical Distributor (Germany)
Artificial Eye Film Company, Ltd. Theatrical Distributor (United Kingdom)
Writer Credit
Todd Solondz Screenplay

Here is a great scene from the movie. Really touching.

Happiness

Happiness is one of Solondz's most controversial films. John McKelvy, who runs a website dedicated to Solondz's films says of Happiness:

"Happiness, a film at once hilariously sardonic and profoundly unsettling,tells a series of interconnecting love stories set in American suburbia. Award-winning film-maker Todd Solondz explores the sorrows and desires of men and women - as they desperately try to navigate through the uncharted and most intimate aspects of their lives - with the same unremitting glance, and taste of dark humour, that gave his portrait of adolescence in Welcome To the Dollhouse such disturbing power."

You can find his site here.

I have only seen happiness once and remember laughing for awhile and then having to shut it off. I haven't gotten around to watching it again - but am sure that in my older age that I could handle it with more humor. What I do remember is a great performance by Phillip Seymore Hoffman playing an obscene prank phone caller.

For more in-depth information and plenty of reviews, try here.

CAST
Dylan Baker

Philip Seymour Hoffman

Jane Adams

Lara Flynn Boyle

Camryn Manheim

Jared Harris

Cynthia Stevenson

Ben Gazzara

Louise Lasser

Jon Lovitz

Justin Elvin

CREW
Todd Solondz Director
Todd Solondz Screenwriter
Ted Hope Producer
Christine Vachon Producer
Maryse Alberti Director of Photography
Alan Oxman Editor
Therese DePrez Production Designer
John P. Bruce Art Director
Robbie Kondor Composer

And here is the trailer for Happiness: