Heather Matarazzo Movies
There are certain films in which a casting decision can create a character so vivid that the characterization becomes forever burned into the memory, becoming an archetypal embodiment. Heather Matarazzo's infallible portrayal of the graceless and prickly Dawn Weiner in Todd Solondz's Welcome to the Dollhouse (which garnered the young actress an Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut) was so resonant that unfortunately the role bled over into her real life; Matarazzo claims that on more than one occasion she was taunted with that film's unsavory moniker "weinerdog."Born in 1982 and raised on the East Coast, Matarazzo took the role of Helen Keller in a local production of The Miracle Worker, and began taking roles in television with appearances in Nickelodeon's The Adventures of Pete and Pete, before her breakthrough role in Dollhouse. Appearing in numerous critically praised independent films, and often displaying an impressive range of abilities and characterizations, Matarazzo seems at her best while taking on roles of bravely defiant but awkward characters who often find themselves in adverse situations.
Often shifting gears between television and film, Matarazzo appeared in such television staples as Roseanne and Townies before taking on her next major role in Getting to Know You. That same year Matarazzo took on the challenging role of a mentally handicapped teenager who is viciously attacked by a group of high school athletes in the fact-based, made-for-television Our Guys: Occurrence at Glen Ridge. Her turn as the terrified victim who dares to expose the truth behind her assault -- a truth that reveals what's "crawling under the rock of the American dream" -- gained Matarazzo even more praise.
Though Matarazzo stuck to the small screen for the sci-fi series Now and Again (1999), her film roles began to become more regular and substantial, taking roles in mainstream films and playing the keeper of a key piece of evidence in the final episode of the Scream trilogy. In 2000 Matarazzo began shooting another of Dollhouse director Solondz's nightmare journeys into adolescence, this time set in college. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Mark Christopher wrote and directed this look back at the Disco Era when the popular Studio 54 was at its apogee in the late '70s. With obvious comparisons to Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights (1997) and Whit Stillman's The Last Days of Disco (1998), the story introduces working-class 19-year-old Irish-American Shane O'Shea (Ryan Phillippe), who has lived with his father and siblings since the death of his mother when he was 12. Shane quickly rises from busboy to bartender at Studio 54, co-owned and managed in a paternal manner by entrepreneur Steve Rubell (Mike Myers). Busboy Greg Randazzo (Breckin Meyer) and Greg's wife, Anita (Salma Hayek), the club's coat check girl, become Shane's new friends, and he encounters the possibility of romance with soap star Julie Black (Neve Campbell). The story spans the summer of 1979 until the decline of Studio 54 a year later with IRS investigations, followed by the arrest and jailing of Rubell. Costumes by Ellen Lutter capture the glitter and glam-glitz of the period. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ryan Phillippe, Salma Hayek, (more)
- 1998
- PG13
Sarah Kernochan wrote and directed this nostalgic coming-of-age comedy-drama with some autobiographical touches. In 1963, budgetary problems at the East Coast boarding school Miss Godard's School for Girls, prompt a merger with a boy's academy. The girls are stunned at the prospect of going co-ed and devise a campaign to sabotage the plan. Screenwriter Kernochan, scripter of Sommersby and 9 1/2 Weeks, won an Oscar when she co-directed the 1972 documentary Marjoe, but this film marks her feature directorial debut creating comedy-drama. The upstate New York seen here is actually Toronto. The title created some confusion, since Kernochan's film received reviews the same month the 1998 New York Film Festival unspooled a new 35mm print of Sergei Eisenstein's silent classic Strike (1924). ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lynn Redgrave, Gaby Hoffmann, (more)
Director/screenwriter Robert Collector adapts Newberry Award-winning author Harold Keith's fact-based tale about a 1960s-era girl's basketball coach who inspired his athletes to believe in themselves and always strive to reach their greatest potential. Clayton Driscoll was an assistant boy's basketball coach when he accepted his first official coaching assignment in the tiny, backwater Oklahoma town of Middleton. An urbanite whose devoted wife Jean is wholly supportive of the move, Clayton hopes that the peace of the country will give the couple the opportunity to start a family. Upon discovering that the team he is set to coach is a girl's team, however, Clayton's enthusiasm immediately sours. In the mid 1960s, in the middle of nowhere, girl's athletics could barely qualify as an afterthought to sports fans. The Middleton Lady Cyclones in particular, were an unmitigated laughing stock. Though Clayton is at first flushed by the ineptitude of his young players, his dubiety is soon tempered by the remarkable character displayed by the girls who want nothing more than to shine in the eyes of their coach. Upon recognizing the decency and resiliency displayed by his tough-minded team, Clayton gives the girls permission to become as passionate about the game as any boy would be. But not everyone in Middleton is so eager to see these young women behaving as aggressively and competitively as their male counterparts, and as Clayton liberates the girls in an attempt to take the state championships and in the process finds himself emancipated by his love for the team, town rainmaker Ellis Brawley launches a bitter campaign to bring about the progressive-minded coach's downfall. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeffrey Donovan, Bruce Dern, (more)
John Gallagher directs this film about magic and the mystery of love. Frank and Maggie (Ben Gazzara and Rita Moreno) have been married longer than either of them can remember. In an effort to revive the spark in their relationship, Maggie persuades Frank to visit their old cabin up in the Catskills. There they find themselves in a time warp that allows them to meet their younger selves. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ben Gazzara, Rita Moreno, (more)
In the romantic comedy Cherry, Leila Sweet (Shalom Harlow) has begun to hear the faint rumblings of her biological clock at the age of 29. This isn't unusual in itself, but Leila's key obstacle in her dilemma about having a child is rather uncommon -- she's still a virgin. Leila was stood up at the altar ten years ago and promptly swore off men forever; since then, she graduated from Harvard and moved to New York City, where she runs a muffin shop and keeps a dog for company. Leila is now determined to have a baby but isn't willing to forgive the enemy in the process, so she begins advertising for sperm donors willing to assist in artificial insemination. However, most of the respondents remind her why she gave up on men in the first place. Circumstances soon force her to take a closer look at two of her neighbors who seem fond of her -- a professional clown named Eddie (Donovan Leitch) and a gynecologist named, we kid you not, Beverly Kirk (Jake Weber). While Leila weighs her options, Beverly meets a pair of sweet-natured street kids in dire need of a loving mother. Shalom Harlow, who played Matt Dillon's dim-witted super model girlfriend in In & Out, gives an able comic performance as the most beautiful 29-year-old virgin in New York in this film, which was screened at the 1999 Los Angeles Independent Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shalom Harlow, Jake Weber, (more)
- 1997
The ER staff is galvanized by the brutal beating of Greene (Anthony Edwards) in the men's room. Jeanie (Gloria Reuben) is forced to make several difficult decisions involving the three men in her life. Carol (Julianna Margulies) accuses Ross (George Clooney) of giving preferential treatment to the child of a wealthy and influential family. Carter (Noah Wyle) and Benton (Eriq La Salle) forget their differences long enough to work together during a kidney transplant. And everyone is entranced by a sexy novel that has popped up mysteriously at the admittance desk. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2006
- Add Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema to QueueAdd Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema to top of Queue
Gay, lesbian, and transgender filmmakers, actors, and critics explore the history of queer cinema in this made-for-cable documentary. Eschewing any overarching narration, co-directors Lesli Klainberg and Lisa Ades illustrate archival footage and film clips with dozens of interviews. They also provide timelines and factoids to punctuate the discussion of specific eras. Although the background material and the interviewees allude to the subtext of Hollywood classics, the bounty of world cinema, and the history of experimental film, the focus remains squarely on the American independent movement, from the 1960s underground through the New Queer Cinema of the early '90s to the post-Brokeback Mountain landscape of 2006. Interview subjects range from cultural commentator Michael Musto and actors Alan Cumming and Jane Lynch to directors John Cameron Mitchell, Jennie Livingston, and Randy Barbato. Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema made its bow July 16, 2006, on the Independent Film Channel. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Todd Haynes, Ang Lee, (more)
Can a young man win the hand of the girl of his dreams by convincing her that he prefers the company of men? That's the dilemma facing the protagonist of this independent comedy. Clay (Sam Huntington) was a big man on his high-school campus, but he discovers he's just another nobody when he starts his first year of college, and while he expected to be making time with lots of pretty coeds, most of the girls on campus could care less about him. As Clay hopes to improve his social status by rushing a fraternity after his dorm roommate unexpectedly dies, Amanda (Kaitlin Doubleday), another incoming freshman, is similarly hoping to join a sorority, and as part of her initiation she and the other pledges are each instructed to pick up a certain type of "loser" guy for a party where the boys will be humiliated as part of the evening's entertainment. Amanda is supposed to find a guy who is obviously gay, and her friend Jessica (Heather Matarazzo) mistakenly thinks Clay fits the bill. It doesn't take long for Clay to realize what's going on, but he decides to play along if it means going out with a pretty girl, and he gives himself a crash course in gay behavior in hopes of winning Amanda's heart with some help from amiable queer bartender Rodney (John Goodman). Produced under the title Home of Phobia, Freshman Orientation was the first feature film from writer and director Ryan Shiraki. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Huntington, Marla Sokoloff, (more)
- 1999
Premiering in the dramatic competition at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival, Getting to Know You is director Lisanne Skyler's first narrative feature, following her 1995 Sundance Film Festival documentary No Loans Today. The film takes place in one afternoon at a bus depot where Judith (Welcome to the Dollhouse's Heather Matarazzo) and her brother Wesley wait for the bus. There Judith meets Jimmy (Michael Weston), a kid with a great imagination and nowhere to go. Jimmy tells Judith stories about the lonely people who are sitting at the depot, and his tall tales become flashbacks in the film. As the story progresses, Jimmy and Judith start falling in love and finally reveal the secrets of their own lives: Jimmy's father was a cop who was killed in a simple domestic disturbance call, and Judith lives with her aunt following a spousal argument that put Judith's father in prison and her mother (Bebe Neuwirth) in a mental institution. ~ Arthur Borman, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Heather Matarazzo, Zach Braff, (more)
Three American students studying art in Rome are drawn into a grim world of torture and suffering in director Eli Roth's blackly comic sequel to the horror hit that shocked the world. Beth (Lauren German), Whitney (Bijou Phillips), and Lorna (Heather Matarazzo) have ventured outside of their stateside surroundings in order to get a more worldly appreciation of the arts. But sketching nudes all day can take its toll on even the most talented artist, and when class is over the three girls jump at the opportunity to experience Europe firsthand. As they set out on the train for an impromptu weekend trip, however, the coeds are surprised to cross paths with the beautiful model they had just been sketching. It appears that she, too, is preparing for a vacation that promises to be both relaxing and rejuvenating, and a generous invitation to join her at a remote hostel surrounded by soothing hot springs ultimately proves too tempting for the adventurous Americans to pass up. Unfortunately for the unsuspecting students, one person's idea of relaxing can be another's worst nightmare. Now on an unavoidable collision course with two American businessmen who long to get an edge on their competition by experiencing the thrill of the kill and a scythe-wielding woman who maintains her youthful visage using the Elizabeth Bathory method, these unsuspecting students are about to fall into a trap that remains one of the sadistic and wealthy elite's most well-guarded secrets. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lauren German, Roger Bart, (more)
- 1997
A teenager tries to do the right thing with heavy odds stacked against him in this hard-hitting independent drama. Marcus (Brendan Sexton III) is a 14-year-old growing up in a tough section of New York City. Marcus' father is dead, and his mother is in prison; while she told him that it was for helping to smuggle illegal immigrants into the United States, he later discovers that she was actually convicted of the murder of his dad. Living with his grandmother, who works as a bartender, Marcus doesn't get much in the way of guidance, and he soon falls in with a group of kids who ride bikes, hang out, and engage in small-time theft for fun and profit. Marcus and his new friends shoplift CDs and sneakers and then sell them in the schoolyard; however, before long, some of the other kids bring up the idea of pulling bigger thefts for bigger profits, and while Marcus is resistant to the idea at first, the decision isn't entirely his to make. One of Marcus' few friends who wants to see him straighten up is Melena (Isidra Vega), who is growing up with a strong set of principles despite being raised in an abusive home. Hurricane (also released under the title Hurricane Streets) won both the Audience Award and the Director's Award at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival; it was the first feature for director Morgan J. Freeman (not to be confused with actor Morgan Freeman). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brendan Sexton III
- 1998
Could the death of a 12-year-old quadriplegic, who suffocated in his own home, have been deliberate? The suspects range from the dead boy's parents to his older sister. Once revealed, the perpetrator claims to have been an angel of mercy -- a statement which might actually be a smokescreen for a "thrill killing." Telecast April 24, 1998, "Burden" was one of the few Law & Order episodes to be seen on a Friday evening, rather than its customary mid-week time slot. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
A group of celebrated high-school athletes are prosecuted for the gang rape of a retarded girl in this TV movie, which was adapted from the nonfiction book Our Guys: The Glen Ridge Rape and the Secret Life of the Perfect Suburb, by Bernie Lefkowitz. When big-city cop Kelly Brooks (Ally Sheedy) moves back to cushy suburb Glen Ridge, NJ, she quickly learns the town's rituals: Jocks are at the top of the social heap, and football is a civic obsession. Soon, though, Brooks becomes the chief investigator in the alleged rape of Leslie Farber (Heather Matarazzo), a mildly retarded teen, by a group of football players. Although accounts differ and Leslie herself changes her story several times, it seems that the boys took turns with Leslie in one boy's basement and even penetrated the girl with a baseball bat. However, Leslie's excitement at being included in the activities of the popular crowd and her own budding sexual impulses make it hard to discern whether or not the sex was voluntary. Given the inconclusive evidence, the case almost hits a dead end, but Brooks digs deeper. Soon, she discovers one boy who is willing to talk and who claims to have been a witness rather than a participant. Unfortunately for Brooks' popularity at work, the kid turns out to be the son of a fellow police officer -- and one of the boys he implicates is his own brother. Based on a real-life incident that occurred in 1989, Our Guys: Outrage at Glen Ridge also stars Eric Stoltz as the prosecutor who assists in Brooks' investigation. The titular suburb is the real-life hometown of actor Tom Cruise. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ally Sheedy, Eric Stoltz, (more)
- 1997
Dan gets ready to leave for California, Roseanne tries to figure out what to do about their marriage, and D.J. meets a girl named Heather (Heather Matarazzo). ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- 1997
- 1997
Roseanne is depressed about Dan's affair. After she stays in bed for days eating junk food, her friends and family members try different ways to get her to snap out of it. Nancy (Sandra Bernhard) tries to lure her out of bed with crystals and New Age methods. Eventually, Roseanne comes out on her own with a decision about the diner. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Mary (Jena Malone) is entering her senior year at American Eagle Christian High School. She seems to be in an ideal social position as one of the "Christian Jewels," the most devout and popular clique of girls in the school, led by the aggressively cheerful Hilary Faye (Mandy Moore). But things take an unexpected turn when Mary's boyfriend, Dean (Chad Faust), tells her he may be gay. Mary hits her head and has a vision, in which Jesus tells her how to help "cure" Dean of his unnatural urges. Mary does everything in her power to sway Dean, but when his parents find out about his "problem," they send him away just before the school year starts, leaving Mary alone, confused, and, she soon finds out, pregnant. Mary's new situation causes her to question everything, including her friendship with the judgmental Hilary Faye and her faith. Her mother (Mary-Louise Parker) is too preoccupied with her flirtatious relationship with the school's married principal, Pastor Skip (Martin Donovan), to notice Mary's problem. Pastor Skip's dreamboat skateboarder son, Patrick (Patrick Fugit), has returned from missionary work and is attracted to Mary, but she already has too much to deal with. Just when she thinks her situation is hopeless, she finds a pair of unlikely allies in Hilary Faye's cynical wheelchair-bound brother, Roland (Macaulay Culkin), and wild, muscle car-driving provocateur Cassandra Edelstein (Eva Amurri), the school's only Jewish student. Saved! marks the feature debut of director Brian Dannelly, who co-wrote the script with Michael Urban. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jena Malone, Mandy Moore, (more)
Wes Craven's Scream (1996) was a half-parody/half-tribute to the first wave of slasher films of the 1970s and 1980s, and since most of them spawned a large number of sequels, it's only appropriate that Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson produced a third installment of their Scream franchise. Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), traumatized by the brutal murders of her friends, has left her hometown of Woodsboro and is working in California as a crisis intervention counselor. Meanwhile, "Stab," the novel by Gale Weathers (Courtney Cox Arquette), is spawning a series of successful horror films, and as Stab 3: Return to Woodsboro is being filmed in Los Angeles, a lunatic has gotten his hands on a copy of the script, and is murdering the characters in the same order that they die in the movie. But predicting who will die next is not as simple as it might seem, since the producers have circulated three different screenplays, with different endings. In addition to Campbell and Cox-Arquette, David Arquette returns from the first two films as less-than-bright "Dewey" Riley; new members of the cast include Parker Posey, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Foley, and Jenny McCarthy. Kevin Williamson wrote the original story, but the screenplay was penned by Ehren Kruger. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Arquette, Neve Campbell, (more)
The time-honored "men in drag" concept gets a teen sex comedy makeover with this farce from director Wallace Wolodarsky. Dave (Barry Watson), Adam (Michael Rosenbaum), and Doofer (Harland Williams) are a trio of broke playboy misogynists who are accused of embezzlement by their frat brothers and kicked out. The friends quickly find themselves with only one option if they wish to remain on campus rent-free and nab the real culprits: the sorority known as Delta Omicron Gamma (D.O.G.), an institution widely known for its members' deficiency of physical beauty. After undergoing radical transformations thanks to wigs, makeup, and some serious depilatory efforts, the boys are soon passing themselves off as Daisy, Adena, and Roberta. It's not long before their past mistreatment of women has come back to haunt them, while Dave falls in love with Leah (Melissa Sagemiller), the head of the sorority, forcing him to consider when and where to confess the truth. In the meantime, the boys draw closer to learning the identity of the real thieves. Sorority Boys (2002) co-stars Heather Matarazzo. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
In this comedy, a hard-luck gambler learns a new commandment: Honor Thy Mother's Lottery Winnings. Johnny Amico (Mike Starr) runs a delicatessen in New York City; regarded as a nice guy by his friends and regular customers, he has a weakness for gambling and is usually in debt. Johnny is constantly nagged by his well-meaning but domineering mother (Judith Malina), who gives him ten dollars to play the same number every week in the lottery. One week, her number turns up a winner, but this is bad news for Johnny: convinced that the number would never win, he's been using the money to place bets of his own. Now Mom expects Johnny to come up with the prize money for a winning ticket he never bought; Johnny hatches a scheme to raise the money, but, given his usual success as a gambler, no one is very optimistic that he can pull it off. The Deli features an impressive list of supporting names, including actors Michael Imperioli, Frank Vincent, and Debi Mazar; rappers Heavy D and Ice T; singer David Johansen; and model Iman. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Supernatural forces hover over the courtroom in this devilish drama adapted from the novel by Andrew Neiderman. Attorney Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves) doesn't heed the Bible-based warnings of his mother (Judith Ivey), who views New York City as "the dwelling place of demons." Instead, he leaves Gainesville, Florida, with his wife Mary Ann (Charlize Theron) to put his legalistic skills to the test at a leading Manhattan law firm run by John Milton (Al Pacino). It all goes smoothly -- with Milton urging them to stay, putting Kevin on a $400-per-hour salary, and moving the couple into a luxurious apartment in his own building on Fifth Avenue -- where Mary Ann falls under the influence of neighbor Jackie (Tamara Tunie). After Kevin defends a weird animal sacrificer (Delroy Lindo, uncredited), he moves up to an important case with an apparent murderer, real-estate tycoon Alexander Cullen (Craig T. Nelson). Ignored by Kevin, the troubled Mary Ann has some disturbing experiences, verging on the occult, while Kevin, at work, becomes attracted to redhead Christabella (Connie Neilsen). Dazzled by his entrance into paradise, Kevin doesn't grasp who handed him this Big-Apple success. Could it be...Satan? The film features demonic creatures by Rick Baker. Cameos (Senator Alfonse D'Amato, Don King, others) add to the ambiance of ambition and power in the canyons of Manhattan. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino, (more)
This teen comedy from Disney is based on a popular novel by Meg Cabot and directed by Garry Marshall. Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is a teenage klutz who's openly mocked by the popular Lana Thomas (pop singer Mandy Moore). In fact, Mia's only friend at her exclusive prep school is the socially outcast Lilly (Heather Matarazzo). Mia's life takes a dramatic turn, however, when her mom announces that her late biological father was in actuality the crown prince of a small European nation, Genovia. Now Mia is the sole heir to the throne, and her grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi (Julie Andrews) wants to tutor the awkward teen in royal behavior. It's a daunting task given Mia's lax table manners, poise, and hair care, but the girl perseveres with some makeover help from her grandmother's security chief Hector Elizondo) and a style expert (Larry Miller). In the meantime, Mia's romantic affections are torn between the handsome, popular Josh (Erik Von Detten) and the more appropriate Michael (Robert Schwartzman), who also happens to be Lilly's brother. The Princess Diaries is the second film from Whitney Houston's production shingle after the television version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (1997). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, (more)
- 2004
- G
- Add The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement to QueueAdd The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement to top of Queue
Directed by Garry Marshall, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement picks up where its predecessor left off -- that is, with American teenager Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) reeling over the news that she is a princess within the royal family of Genovia, a little-known European nation with a population of barely 50,000. As promised, Mia, along with her best friend, Lilly (Heather Matarazzo), travels to Genovia after their high-school graduation. The unlikely princess has hardly settled into the castle, let alone begun representing the country, when she learns that a larger title is approaching more rapidly than expected; it seems as though Mia will have to take over as queen. Suddenly, in addition to further schooling on the etiquette of royalty, Mia finds herself with a daunting prospect -- according to Genovian law, all princesses must be married before they can be crowned. In addition to Julie Andrews' reprisal of her role as Queen Clarisse Renaldi, The Princess Diaries 2 also features Hector Elizondo and John Rhys-Davies in supporting roles. Though Princess Diaries author Meg Cabot did pen a sequel (The Princess Diaries: Princess in the Spotlight), this film is not an adaptation. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, (more)
Twelve-year-old Dawn Wiener (Heather Matarazzo) is perhaps the most put-upon adolescent in film history in Todd Solondz's bitterly hilarious black comedy Welcome to the Dollhouse. Dawn is bright but awkward, both physically and socially, and is appallingly unpopular among her peers, to whom she's better known as "Wienerdog." Possessing little charm or grace and perhaps the most misguided fashion sense of her generation, Dawn is not an easy girl to like and practically no one seems interested in making the effort. If life is tough for Dawn at school, it's hardly any better at home. While her folks dote on her gratingly cute younger sister Missy (Daria Kalinina) and look with pride to her bookish older brother Mark (Matthew Faber), Dawn is either ignored or treated as an annoyance. Dawn has developed a crush on Steve (Eric Mabius), the hunky guitarist Mark has drafted into his rock band (significantly, Mark is less interested in making cool noise or unloading teenage angst than in having another extracurricular activity to put on his college applications); Steve is polite but obviously not interested in her. However, Dawn has attracted the attention of a boy at school -- Brandon (Brendan Sexton), a mean-spirited junior thug whose idea of a good time is threatening Dawn with rape. A painfully accurate account of life in junior high (what Matt Groening called "the lowest pit of hell"), Welcome to the Dollhouse is also very funny, but writer and director Todd Solondz never lets the film's humor dilute the agony of its leading character; anyone who has ever been 12 years old will doubtless laugh at Dawn while uncomfortably recalling the horror of their own preteen years. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Heather Matarazzo, Daria Kalinina, (more)
