Hey there!
I still remember watching Dollhouse back in 2015. It actually hit theaters in 2016.
Movie Dollhouse, reviewRecently, I found myself thinking about this movie under some pretty weird circumstances. I woke up to the sound of my noisy neighbors and it made me wonder, what's better: living in an old mansion with possible ghosts, but relative peace, like the main character in this movie, or dealing with all the noise? And on a Sunday morning, the answer seemed pretty obvious.
I'm outta here!I got so caught up in the thought that I wanted to rewatch Dollhouse because some of the scenes had started to fade from my memory. I rewatched it. I think I'd still choose my noisy neighbors over a creepy old house.
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General Info
Genre: horror
Director: William Brent Bell
Countries: USA, Canada, China
Release year: 2015
Runtime: 1 hour 38 minutes
Age rating: 18+
IMDb rating: 6.1/10
Description:
A well-off English family hires an American nanny for their son. When the nanny arrives at her new workplace, she discovers that her ward is not a real boy, but a doll of human height that people treat as a living being. However, after she breaks the rules, disturbing events unfold, making her believe that the doll might actually be alive.
This movie's not your typical horror flick - it's more of a thriller with some creepy elements. It's got the scares and the goosebumps, but it's not your classic 'monster jumping out of the closet' type of horror. That's not what this film's about.
Movie Review: Dollhouse
Plot
Greta flies into England from the States to take up a job, and she meets an elderly couple who've been struggling to find a suitable nanny for their son. They live in this old mansion out in the sticks, and they're desperate for someone to take care of their little boy. They introduce her to their son, Bram, who just so happens to be a doll.
Movie Review: DollhouseThe couple interacts with their son as if he's a real person, which is just plain weird. But they seem like nice people, so you can't help but feel a little bad for them. In exchange for taking care of their kid, they offer Greta a place to stay and a decent salary. Plus, she gets the sense that there's a pretty tragic backstory behind their son's attachment to this doll. She agrees to take the job.
Movie Review: DollhouseSo, the couple leaves for a little vacation, leaving Greta alone in the massive house with Bram. But as soon as they're gone, Greta starts to ignore the rules they laid out for taking care of the doll. And before long, some pretty strange things start to happen in the house.
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Characters
Greta (Lauren Cohen) - she's a sweet, down-to-earth girl. I loved how she genuinely connected with the elderly couple who hired her. Sure, she didn't always follow their instructions, but you can understand why. The rules they laid out were a bit crazy: feeding the doll, kissing it goodnight, and so on. One girl alone in that empty house, it's no wonder she started to lose it.
Greta (Lauren Cohen)But what really drew me in was the story of Bram's. Even when things started to get really creepy, she tried to make sense of it all. At one point, I found myself losing track of her because I would've high-tailed it out of there after the first serious incident. It made the movie feel like it was about to go off the rails, but then the story really started to flesh out Greta's character and explain her behavior. So, she's a pretty interesting person.
Greta (Lauren Cohen)Malcolm (Rupert Evans) - he's the owner of the local grocery store who delivers food to the estate every week. He becomes a friend to Greta and eventually shares some info about Bram's.
Malcolm (Rupert Evans)Mr. and Mrs. Gilshrier (James Norton and Diana Hardcastle) - Greta's employers. They're wealthy, but clearly unhappy. They don't get a lot of screen time, but they still manage to evoke some emotions and mixed feelings.
James and Mrs. Gilderoy (James Norton and Diana Hardcastle)I've got to say, the supporting cast is pretty great, but I'm not going to give away any spoilers to avoid ruining the interesting plot.
The Doll, review
Camera Work, Atmosphere, Acting
I really enjoyed the way the film was shot. It's got a great, eerie aesthetic. The transitions between shots are really interesting, and the atmosphere of the English manor is spot on.
The Doll, reviewThe score is really understated. It adds to the tense atmosphere without being too overpowering – I didn't find myself humming any of the tunes afterwards.
One thing that did catch my eye was the camera work. It's really steady, but there were a few scenes that were a bit too dark.
The Doll, reviewThe acting is top-notch. Lauren Cohen really stood out to me – I've seen her in a few other shows, and she's always great. She's got a really likable on-screen presence.
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My Personal Take
I'm a fan of horror movies that build tension through the story rather than relying on cheap jump scares. This film does a great job of slowly ratcheting up the creepiness, and the atmosphere is really well done.
A Movie That Stuck With MeThe Doll, A Movie Review
My Verdict
I highly recommend checking it out! The story's got some great twists and turns, and the atmosphere's pretty unsettling. And that ending? I think it'll catch a lot of people off guard. I'd give it 5 out of 5 and highly recommend it!
If you're into this kind of genre (thrillers and horror), I'd also suggest checking out another movie - The Uninvited, from 2009.
You can find all my movie and TV show reviews here.
Thanks for stopping by! Until next time!