Dollhouse (2012)

Directed by: Kirsten Sheridan
Country: Ireland

Review: “Dollhouse” provides an odd cinematic experience, being the third feature film from Kirsten Sheridan, daughter of the famous Irish film director Jim Sheridan (“In America”, “In The Name Of The Father”, “My Left Foot”) who appears here as executive producer. The plot, not so crafted as it should have been, follows a bunch of wild teenagers who break into an empty house in Dublin. The kids start a strange party of drugs, alcohol, and vandalism, showing dangerous behaviors. At some point, we get to know that the house belongs to one of the intruders, but many questions are kept unanswered. The tense moments created with the unexpected arrival of a neighbor, soon fall in a sort of adventure without orientation. I cannot say this is a bad movie, but I can say this is a weak story. The sequence of images often gives the sensation of paranoia or disorientation, while the music was another strong aspect, with a variety of styles being used such as classical, rock, or techno, depending of the circumstances and the desired mood. “Dollhouse” has the visual side as main strength, creating enough tension to depict a lost generation, but its limited story, inexact narrative, vague characters, and lack of a concrete orientation, thwarted its plans to be more successful.