Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

Welcome to the Dollhouse Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman March 21, 2023

Todd Solondz and Heather Matarazzo are on hand on this disc in some interviews produced specifically for this release, and it's kind of amusing to hear both of them attempt to wrestle with the fact that Welcome to the Dollhouse strikes some viewers as raucously funny, and others as inexorably tragic. The fact is Welcome to the Dollhouse is not an "either/or" proposition, but more of a "both/and" one, and as such its huge tonal variances may be hard for some to navigate. The film is almost like a "slice of life" anime in that it doesn't have a "goal centered" narrative, and instead simply presents a series of vignettes in the life of junior high schooler Dawn Wiener (Heather Matarazzo, in an amazing performance). Dawn is not one of the popular kids, to say the least, and she is regularly bullied to the point that anyone who ever experienced anything even slightly similar in their own school life will probably recoil in trauma at some of what she has to endure. The film follows what would seem to be a fairly familiar "coming of age" arc, with Heather encountering the pangs of a first major crush, but there is a very dark subtext at times that hints (and in some cases, overtly mentions) more troubling aspects, especially when Dawn's favored little sister is apparently kidnapped by a pedophile. "Laff riot", right? Well, amazingly, at least parts of Welcome to the Dollhouse are kind of delightfully daft, if, again, more often than not suffused with melancholy.

Welcome to the Dollhouse was released in Region A on a Sony MOD disc several years ago, and Martin Liebman's Welcome to the Dollhouse Blu-ray review of that version provides a good plot recap. My own reaction is only more positive than Marty's, as I find this film to be unusually provocative from any number of angles, as if, to utilize a sitcom Todd Solondz overtly references that this film is a response to, The Wonder Years had wandered into the Third Ring of Hell, or some such locale. There are parts of this film that are both undeniably laugh worthy while also simultaneously provoking unabashed squirming, but part of what makes Welcome to the Dollhouse as darkly comic and troubling (in equal measure) as it is, is the extremely touching vulnerability but also the "you kind of want to smack her" abrasiveness of Dawn. There is nowhere where this very peculiar duality is more in evidence than a simultaneously shocking, horrifying and hilarious scene involving Dawn contemplating a little "home improvement" project with a hammer (those who have seen the film will understand my reticence to spoil an amazing vignette where you are quite unsure as to what's going to happen).

Welcome to the Dollhouse Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Welcome to the Dollhouse is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Radiance Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Radiance only sent a check disc for purposes of this review, so I'm not privy to any verbiage about the transfer included in an insert booklet, though Radiance's website mentions a "high definition digital transfer of the film with uncompressed original stereo audio, approved by director Todd Solondz". I never picked up the Sony release that Marty reviewed, and so the following is based solely on the admittedly risky technique of comparing screenshots. As I like to do, I've attempted to replicate something close the same frames that Marty captured for his review in at least some of the screenshots here, so that those interested can do their own side by side comparison. Sony's Blu-ray from years ago was a manufactured on demand product, for what that's worth, but even without that "pressing format" difference, to my eyes this transfer boasts a more nicely revealed grain field (compare screenshot 4 in this review with screenshot 4 in Marty's review and pay special attention to the sky). Grain can attain a slightly chunky, yellowish quality in some of the low light scenes. This release also looks just a bit better in the clarity department, though by admittedly minimal levels. Color timing is almost identical, but not quite to my eyes, which can be perceived if you toggle quickly between full resolution screenshots accompanying this review and Marty's review. The titles show the same wobble that Marty mentions in his review.

Welcome to the Dollhouse Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Welcome to the Dollhouse features an LPCM 2.0 track that capably supports a really fun and energetic sound design. The clamor of often unruly junior high school life can sound just a trifle boxy at times, but the somewhat laugh inducing garage band that Dawn's brother plays in with Dawn's major crush, local ladies' man Steve (Eric Mabius), provides some energy, as do some rather interesting, classically based, source cues. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Welcome to the Dollhouse Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Todd Solondz (HD; 15:43) is presented in an August 2022 interview done for this release, discussing the genesis and production of the film.


• Heather Matarazzo (HD; 21:56) is presented in a September 2022 interview done for this release, giving a bit of biographical background and how she was cast in this role.


• Todd Solondz's Suburban Nightmare (HD; 14:45) is an interesting video essay by Hannah Strong which looks at this film within the context of Solondz's overall filmography. For those unaware, several of the characters in this film recur in other pieces by Solondz.


• Audio Commentary by BJ and Harmony Colangelo


• Trailer (HD; 1:46)

Radiance sent only a check disc for purposes of this review, and so I can't comment authoritatively on non disc extras, but their website details another release with an insert booklet and some packaging swag like the Obi strip they've been utilizing.

Welcome to the Dollhouse Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Junior high and/or middle school can be a fraught experience even under the best of circumstances, and let's just cut to the chase and say that Welcome to the Dollhouse offers that experience in what can charitably be called the worst of circumstances. This is an unruly and often uncomfortable film, as befits its subject matter, but it's amazingly visceral and Heather Matarazzo delivers one of the all time great juvenile performances in it. There are certainly elements here that could well be, to utilize an overused cliché, triggering for some people. Technical merits are solid and the supplements very enjoyable. For those with the proper sensibilities, Highly recommended.