Review of Welcome to the Dollhouse (1996) by Bob V — 24 Jul 2011

A painful look into the life of a thoroughly unpopular American teenager, who ineptly attempts to change her social status, dreaming of some form of acceptance from her peers, her teachers, her parents and siblings.

Insightful, brutal & at times just painful, "Welcome to the dollhouse" was one of the earliest exponents of the growing 'outsider culture', which would spawn endless more films as seen through the eyes of the not so all-American teenager. Very few of them managed to reach the same level as this one though, by refusing any kind of improvement to its protagonist.

Incidentally, the sequel to this film opens with the funeral of Dawn, main character here, and in her eulogy it's stated that her life indeed did not improve in college, ending with her suicide. Now that's bleak for you.