Todd Solondz’s debut feature film from 1995 is still the most painfully accurate depiction of school brutality I’ve seen: the usual parental advice of ‘just ignore them and they’ll go away” never works, simply because bullying is a ritual, and relentless in its targets.
So it is for the main character here and target of her own bullies, one Dawn Wiener (Heather Matarazzo) :she’s nicknamed “Wiener Dog” by pretty much the entire school. Dawn is an intelligent, dorky eleven year old with a lank ponytail, glasses which dominate much of her pale face, and garish, uncoordinated clothes. The poor kid doesn’t stand a chance. She’s painfully awkward and introverted; yet bold enough to at least yell back at her tormentors.
These range from the lone goth to princessy cliques, to asshole kid Brandon (Brendan Sexton III) who corners her, threatening to “rape” her after school. Knowing nothing of sexual violence, she actually turns up, but thankfully he doesn’t attack her. Instead, a weird almost-romance forms between the two misfits. Brandon isn’t the bad boy he’s desperate to be; Dawn is more rebellious than at first glance. Were it not for the casual misogyny, they could almost be a match.
Dawn’s real crush fares little better. Steve (Eric Mabius) the local meathead Jim Morrison wannabe, is a senior, and sings brilliantly awful garage band compositions – listen out for the theme tune: it’s kind of great. He’s more preoccupied with the local jailbait- and Dawn just isn’t the right kind.
Solondz’s tone throughout remains consistent and well-judged, he understands the jungle law of the playground. Not that Dawn’s family are any better. They’re classic toxic, dysfunctional stuff. The parents make Dawn the scapegoat at every turn, instead doting on cutesie little sis Missy (Daria Kalinina) an insufferable ballerina in the making, and oddball big brother Mark (Matthew Faber) is treated as a mediocrity. He’s basically, in fact, a borderline sociopath. Dawn has nowhere to escape to.
Solondz has crafted a masterpiece here: a misanthropic gem which is as hilarious as it’s heart-breaking. There’s no reassuring denouement, just the sense that Dawn will grow into herself, the days will still blur into one, and the everyday rituals will continue apace, only in adult skin.
Hit The North 