Dramatica Users Group Movie Analysis:

"Welcome to the Dollhouse"

The title of Todd Solondz's 1995 film, Welcome to the Dollhouse, serves as ironic commentary on main character Dawn Wiener's situation (mc domain-universe)-neither welcome nor a pretty doll (mc thematic issue-attraction), she is put in her place and must stay there. Dawn is the eleven-year-old middle child of a middle class family in suburbia, New Jersey. Older brother Mark is a high school computer geek who concentrates on his college resume (objective story focus-certainty); younger sister Missy is a blonde ballerina and apple of mother's eye.

Dawn is concerned with the way things are (present). Ignored at home and designated "dogface" at school, she is not accepted (mc problem). Typical conversation is "Why do you hate me?" "Because you're ugly." Nevertheless, when confronted with a dilemma, Dawn takes immediate, external action (mc approach-do-er). In one scene, she shoots a spitball back at the boys who had antagonized her. Unfortunately, it hits a teacher right in the eye. When she explains to her parents in the principal's office: "I was fighting back!"-her mother's response is "Who ever told you to fight back?" (os issue-permission)

The obstacle character function is handed off between two characters-Brandon, a junior high classmate of Dawn's, and Steve, lead singer of Mark's garage rock band. Neither is onscreen at the same time, and each has the same mindset (oc domain)-conversely, others hold a fixed point of view about them. Image conscious (oc concern) Steve is popular with the girls-high school and junior high. Teen crush takes on new meaning when Steve, adored by Dawn, humiliates her (ss problem non-acceptance) after weeks of encouraging the infatuation:

DAWN: I was wondering if . . . Well, I've been thinking seriously of building another clubhouse, and I wanted to know, would you be interested in being my first honorary member?

STEVE: What are you talking about?

DAWN: The "special people" club.

STEVE: Special people?

DAWN: What's the matter?

STEVE: Do you know what "special people" means?

DAWN: What?

STEVE: Special people equals retarded. Your club is for retards.

Everyone is under the impression (oc thematic issue-appraisal) that Brandon is a juvenile delinquent. As school outcasts, Brandon and Dawn learn (ss concern) the "mechanics of the dance" (Kelman 1/99)-a courtship ritual (ss domain-physics) that necessitates vicious language (ss thematic issue-prerequisites) to protect their vulnerability:

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: [Holding her closely] Yeah, but just remember, this didn't happen (ss thematic counterpoint-preconditions). I mean no one . . . because if you do, I really will rape you next time.

DAWN: Okay.

Dollhouse is a psychological (os domain) study of what happens to those who have ideas (os goal-conceiving) about what makes them unique-ideas that differ from the accepted (os solution) norm. They fail (story outcome). Steve goes off to New York:

MARK: He dropped out of school and left town. He wants to try making in New York as the next Jim Morrison.

MR. WIENER: Stupid idiot kid. He'll never make it.

MARK: Yeah, that's what I told him. He'll never get into a good school now.

MRS. WIENER: Oh, he won't make it.

MR. WIENER: Never make it.

MRS. WIENER: Never.

Brandon is unfairly expelled for drug dealing (a crime he does not commit), and his father's reaction (oc problem) is to send him to the reformatory. Instead, he runs away to New York (oc solution-proaction), after first asking Dawn to accompany him. An offer she cannot accept (ss solution).

DAWN: Wait-I'm so sorry.

BRANDON: Well, it's too late. I'm getting' outta here. And who knows, maybe I will deal drugs now.

Dawn takes a trip to New York as well, but unlike Steve and Brandon, it is not to make a new start (mc growth)-it is a reaction (mc direction) to her sister's kidnapping (story driver-action). She searches for Missy to bring her desolate family back into balance (female mental sex). Dawn also hopes it will finally give her the love and acceptance (mc solution) she desperately needs. The Wieners barely notice her absence (os thematic counterpoint-deficiency):

DAWN: Is mom really upset?

MARK: Not really, actually. They found Missy this morning.

Todd Solondz' grand argument against conformity concludes when, unlike Ibsen's Nora, Dawn doesn't leave the dollhouse (story limit-optionlock). She instead takes a school bus to Disneyworld (mc resolve-change)-just one of the Benjamin Franklin "Hummingbirds" singing her junior high school song: ". . . now put on a smile then wipe off that frown . . ." (judgment-bad).
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