movie review doll house

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Absent dad tries to make up for lost years; language, drugs.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Addicts feel bad about the troubles they cause. Al

Rustin is a loving but highly irresponsible father

The action takes place in the Philippines and Rott

A man dies of a drug overdose. Another is found un

"F--k," "s--t," "damn," "hell," "ass," "bitch," an

Cocaine use and excessive drinking are seen. Adult

Parents need to know that Doll House is a wistful story of a man with a drug problem seeking redemption by returning to the daughter he abandoned. Scenes of drug and alcohol use are interspersed with sober time he spends with his young daughter, who doesn't know that he's her biological father. A man dies of…

Positive Messages

Addicts feel bad about the troubles they cause. Always try as hard as you can.

Positive Role Models

Rustin is a loving but highly irresponsible father, often disobeying the wishes of his daughter's guardian and potentially putting the girl in danger. To his credit, he does advise her to always try her best.

Diverse Representations

The action takes place in the Philippines and Rotterdam, with mostly Filipino actors.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

A man dies of a drug overdose. Another is found unconscious but survives. We learn two people have died in a car accident. A man has had a stroke and seems mentally impaired.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

"F--k," "s--t," "damn," "hell," "ass," "bitch," and "fart."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Cocaine use and excessive drinking are seen. Adults smoke cigarettes.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Doll House is a wistful story of a man with a drug problem seeking redemption by returning to the daughter he abandoned. Scenes of drug and alcohol use are interspersed with sober time he spends with his young daughter, who doesn't know that he's her biological father. A man dies of an overdose. Another man survives one after hospitalization. A man has had a stroke and seems mentally impaired. Language includes "f--k," "s--t," "damn," "hell," "ass," "bitch," and "fart." In Tagalog with English subtitles. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (1)

Based on 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In DOLL HOUSE, Rustin (Baron Geisler) is an irresponsible drug addict and an exceptionally untalented singer in a Philippine band. In flashbacks and flash-forwards, we learn he lived a previous life in Rotterdam, where he married Sheena, a lovely woman who left him over his stubbornly wayward behavior. Several flashbacks later, we learn that Sheena had his daughter and was raising the child with a Dutch man until both died in a car accident. The girl, Yumi (Althea Ruedas in her younger version), lives with a devoted guardian: the deceased Sheena's best friend Rachel (Katreena Beron), as well as another good friend, Bok (Phi Palmos). Shaken by the overdose death of a bandmate, Rustin heads for Rotterdam to attempt reconciliation with his abandoned daughter. He uses a false name when meeting Bok and Yumi on the street. Implausibly, Bok asks the total stranger to babysit Yumi. Rustin continues to drink and use drugs and behaves irresponsibly enough to give nightmares to parents of young children who watch this. The movie opens and closes in the present day, in which the grown Yumi (Mary Joy Apostol) finally learns the truth about her dad.

Is It Any Good?

The heart is in the right place throughout Doll House , but it is so poorly made that most of its legitimate emotionality takes a back seat to utter incompetence. There is now a large cohort of mediocre international movies out there, many funded by content-hungry Netflix. The generous funding occasionally results in great work by talented people, but it more often produces titles that exponentially increase the percentage of junk out there. Perhaps director Maria Ancheta will eventually learn the fundamentals of coherent filmmaking, but in this go-round, she begins with five or more flashbacks that whip past us in the first 10 minutes and leave us wondering where in time we are. Continuity is out the window. A random shot shows a clock tower reading 8:50. A second later a close-up of the same clock reads 1:00. A few minutes later, the same clock reads 9:15, and not long after that, we hear the clock chime five times, suggesting it's somehow 5:00. This movie is a good 30 minutes too long, so the clock footage is little more than confusing filler.

Worse yet, no one would mistake the characters here for real people. Who on earth would ever let a stranger off the street babysit for a kid? Once Rustin does babysit, you'd think he'd be extra careful to abide by the caretaker's rules. But against orders, he takes the girl somewhere and leaves her out of his sight: two big no-no's. After he's asked to stay away, he whisks her to a hotel and refuses to tell her adoptive mother where they are all night! Most parents would call the police, but not in this unrealistic universe. Clearly Rustin is in the grip of the disease of addiction, but he also has an ego that makes him hard to love. This is supposedly based on a true story, but that doesn't make it a good movie.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the toll drug use takes on families. How did Rustin's addiction affect his wife and child?

Why do you think Yumi's caretakers didn't want her to know Rustin was her biological father?

Bok doesn't know Rustin at all yet he hands over Yumi for babysitting. Do you think it was responsible and safe to allow a stranger to babysit?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : October 7, 2022
• Cast : Baron Geisler , Althea Ruedas , Phi Palmos
• Director : Maria Ancheta
• Studio : Netflix
• Genre : Drama
• Run time : 107 minutes
• MPAA rating : NR
• Last updated : February 17, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

Doll House (2022)

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Why Netflix’s Doll House deserves all the hype and rave reviews

Tudum! A newly released movie, Doll House — starring Baron Geisler and Althea Ruedas — just topped Netflix nationwide and has tugged the heartstrings of Filipinos. It successfully premiered on October 7, 2022, and it continues to reign.

We have to admit that we are living in hard and trying times. Along these hard and trying times, numerous people are lured into darkness – some suffer from mental illnesses, and some ultimately get trapped in addiction.

Netflix’s Doll House depicts the life of a troubled lead singer of a rock band as he rekindles the relationship he never had with his long-lost daughter. He eventually lost touch with his daughter when he drowned in addiction.

The plot of the movie touched not only the hearts of the masses but also the untold story that recovering individuals. Especially those who fell into the predicament of addiction. Their story behind the curtains, and their journey toward sobriety.

The movie represents these people and their arduous journey. That somewhere, there is still hope for them. Here are some other reasons, why you should watch this movie:

1. It depicts the journey of recovery.

Some people are going through the recovery process from addiction or the “journey of sobriety”. This movie shows the up-and-down process of recovery, it is never a straightforward process. Those who went through recovery also have relapses, it is an endless fight of addiction and cravings. This also applies to people who have mental illnesses also.  

In an addict’s case, they keep returning to their vices (e.g., alcohol, drugs) even when they do not want to because the substances are already hard-wired in their brain. Meaning, ultimately after long-term use, it changes how their brain works. Just like chronic diseases such as heart disease, their symptoms of intense cravings occur time-to-time, so they will always be prone to start using again. Even after you will stop using it, it will still go on for a lifetime. It is a long journey, an arduous battle. That’s when the importance of a support system comes to play.

2. The Importance of Support System Among Recovering Individuals

It can be seen from the movie and the main character itself how essential is support system among recovering individuals. It shares a message that with the challenges recovering individuals face, a positive support system can guide you and encourage you to battle against the up and downs of recovery.

It can also help these individuals identify their triggers and, in turn, will help them maneuver to the right choices even when addiction or the chronic symptoms they experience strongly persists. It helps them come up with coping mechanisms and, overall, helps them in avoiding relapses.

3. The Beauty of Second Chances

It shows how beautiful second chances might be, even if we are living in these uncertain times. It also shows that even amid trying times when we want to give up the very last hope, we hold; by giving second chances, you can look for flaws and areas where you can improve. By identifying such, we can see the areas where we can work instead of just immediately giving up. You will see another thing that makes a person beautiful, giving you more reasons to stay and giving the other person another chance to change for the better.

We are hoping for the cinema and films here in the Philippines to show more of one of the marginalized people in our society. Shows like these give us enlightenment and a glimpse of the other side of these people who are often misunderstood. Through these shows, we can also give hope to these individuals. That somewhere, there are people who understand, and there is always hope at the end.

• Doll House Netflix
• Netflix Movie
• Netflix Movies

What a thoughtfully written review you have here. I think it’s the best review I have read on Doll House. Themes like this are rarely shown in the Philippines and are very challenging to present but this movie was able to show it with so much compassion. Agree that stories like this should be explored more and presented to the Philippine audience.

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Baron Geisler Is Hitting All the Right Notes in Netflix's Doll House

There was a time when  Baron Geisler was one of  the guys in Filipino show business. In the early 2000s, he was a teen idol as Fonzi in the beloved teen drama Tabing Ilog . He had been part of a cast of future icons of television and cinema (John Lloyd Cruz, Paolo Contis, Kaye Abad, and Jodi Sta. Maria, to name a few of his contemporaries). He stood out just as much as the rest of them.

Then came middle age. Here, we remember him for his later films like Francis Xavier Pasion's Jay or  Mark Meily's Baler in 2008 or the gangster film  Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story in 2011. These were the projects that made Geisler one of the definitive character actors of his generation.

Also read:  Filipino Celebrities Are Raving About Baron Geisler's Performance in Netflix's  Doll House

Baron Geisler Lost 10 Pounds in Two Weeks to Play Rustin in  Doll House

Geisler is a different kind of bad-ass nowadays.

But then there was that other side of Baron, the one we thought we knew but we really don't. It's the one that's embedded in substance, alcohol, and legal troubles. Notoriety has especially plagued him over the past few years. He's quotable, as we've heard. He's memeable, too, as we've seen.

But he's always had talent and, of all things, he's still kicking. Geisler says that from now on, he's going to be looking into more "substantial roles." He's kicked some personal demons and he is doing just fine, in case we're wondering.

So much so that he's landed the starring role in Netflix's Doll House , a film that, even he admits, hits way too close to home.

" Naka -relate naman ako doon sa [story], close to life. But one of the best things that really got to me was the father-daughter love story," he says. "Me reconnecting with my daughter and the realization that I have a lot of unfinished business."

In Doll House , Geisler plays Rustin, a troubled (emphasis on the trouble) musician trying to mend his relationship with his long-lost daughter, Yumi, acted out by wunderkind Althea Rueda. The two embark on a path of reconciliation, self-discovery, and genuine connection. It projects to be an honest film at its core. 

Geisler's character did a lot of growing up in this film, much like Geisler, the man. The movie is soberingly sentimental, made up of tender moments meant to dissect the fractured family dynamic. There's something to be said about Rustin's torment and self-reflection, too.

The producers had suggested Geisler for the role, as confirmed by Doll House Director Marla Ancheta. Ancheta, the filmmaker behind Finding Agnes and Ikaw, says that it's about relationships (of course, it is). But to have actors like Geisler and Rueda have that kind of chemistry from the onset, it was a dream project. "Maraming makulit scenes 'yung dalawang to e. Marami kaming naging eksena na naging magical," she notes.

Rustin and Yumi messing around with a guitar. Her father is a lead-singer-band-guy type, after all.

Magical is a good word for the filming location, too. Shot in the Netherlands, the director claims that the area's backdrop really helped her convey the emotion she wanted for the film.

"The location sets the mood of the film. So sa Finding Agnes , nasa Morocco kami. Disyerto siya at magisa ka lang sa kalawakan. The theme is about that about finding yourself. Dito naman sa Netherlands, ang lamig," she tells us. "So 'yung environment, the weather, and 'yung backrop, na very muted, wala kang nakikitang vibrant na kulay. Kaya para sa character ni Baron, blended siya ."

Blended is a nice way to put it. Geisler, and his at-times wacky career and the public perception of him, have been blended for quite some time now. In Doll House , we're seeing a gentler, tenderer, more mature version of the guy. It's a departure, one may say, from the zany characters we're used to seeing him play. Rustin is that relatable. "A lot of fathers and parents would identify with him," Geisler stresses. "Even sa acting ko, sabi ni direk, 'o Baron ah, hindi Pinoy teleserye. 'Wag masyadong O.A.'"

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Rueda says that her father was a big fan of Fonzi way back when.

Maturation comes in many forms and it's not always liner. We all have difference spaces to occupy and paces to control. It's the understanding of the natural rhythm of things that defines how well we can navigate through a hard life. We can say this about Geisler, the actor, as well.

"Baron, 10 years ago, very immature and irresponsible," he notes. "Now that I've been living in Cebu, connecting with the right people, a lot has changed," he explains. "I'm taking my family and being a father seriously. I want the best for them. That's why I'm praying that the best din ang projects na dumating in the future."

The production was smooth sailing. That, Geisler owns to his co-stars, director Marla, his friends, and his wife, Jamie. He sees this film as an opportunity for a renaissance of sorts, both personally and professionally. But if it was a conversation about catalysts, it would have to revolve around Geisler's so-called bestfriend, his old Tabing Ilog running mate, Paolo Contis.

"Here's a story. My wife and I were watching Netflix's A Faraway Land . And bestfriend ko si Paolo Contis. Nagustuhan namin 'yung pelikula. Then my wife, nakita kong na -sad siya. She wanted something like that for me," he says.

The actor continues: "Then I said, 'you know what, one day, I'm going to have a film like that, and it's going to be better.'"

Geisler called up Contis to congratulate him on his "Hollywood-esque" movie (Contis was nominated for an Urian for A Faraway Land ). He told his buddy, "'I love you. Congratulations.'" There was no hint of jealousy, Geisler makes it known. "Doon ako nagkaroon ng revelation: if you have this authentic appreciation for another actor and film, you want to do the same."

Marla Ancheta, Althea Rueda, and Baron Geisler at the press conference.

He even sees himself working with Contis again in the near future. "I pray to work with Paolo on a Netflix project. Noong nalaman niyang nandito ako, [he said] 'gawa tayo [pelikula]. I want to work with you pero dapat sa Europe 'yan. Kahit mababa talent fee, pumayag ka ,'" he quips.

Geisler says that he wants to work with his old friends again, too. He last saw Abad back home in Cebu sometime this year. Meanwhile, Cruz was a dear friend during the pandemic. Contis, on the other hand, is a guy he practically talks to everyday. Geisler also often thinks about doing a love-team thing with Sta. Maria. "Hindi naman selosa wife ko," he jokes.

He's been toying around with the idea of a reunion for a while now. It's going to happen, he says. We just have to wait. In the meantime, there's Doll House. And here, he's not playing around. This is a new Baron Geisler, and what that means, we're going to find out soon enough.

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Doll House Reviews

This is supposedly based on a true story, but that doesn't make it a good movie.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Oct 11, 2022

Doll House Review: An Indie Horror With Potential

A care home for child runaways takes in an 11-year-old girl, her only belongings are a Doll and mysterious Doll House. She refuses to speak and won’t ever let go of her doll.

The other children tease her. People start to disappear and seem to appear as tiny dolls inside the dollhouse.

An evil entity haunts the doll and dollhouse and is collecting the souls of the children for its ultimate cause, to be alive. 

Whilst this movie is far from perfect it certainly improves on many issues that have plagued Greenway Entertainment films and their budget restrictions for many years.

The sound quality is much improved and the cinematography has improved massively.

The acting quality and overall feel of the movie is much more well rounded and polished.

Don’t get me wrong, this is far from a perfect movie but filmmakers learn as they go on.

With every film comes a new opportunity to learn and improve and you can see the progression of quality with every feature film released by Steven M Smith and the team.

Toyah Wilcox as Layla – Photo Credit Gaz De Vere

Starring Toyah Willcox , Mark Wingett, and Paul Danan Doll House delivers some creepy scenes (much later in the movie) and believable acting.

After a very sluggish opening things start to heat up momentarily as a psychic becomes possessed by the devil. As a result, she sends a community centre into a frenzy as they flee for their lives.

I was laughing more than I was scared but it was still a cool little scene to witness. After this, the film calms down again and simmers to a snail’s pace.

You need to be a very patient person to get through Doll House . There’s little happening on screen to keep you hooked for the opening 50 minutes (the film is 85 mins long).

In time the movie finally improves and the pacing picks up slightly towards the end. The rather dragging first and second acts could have easily been cut down.

Dragging out scenes for suspense only works when a great musical score is introduced.

Doll House certainly doesn’t have one of those so it does drag on somewhat considerably.

The scenes where the dollhouse replicates its victims’ last moves before they meet their demise is a nice touch. Doll House is one of the better-looking micro-budget films I’ve seen.

Unfortunately, it just doesn’t feel like it should be a feature at all.

This indie horror has potential. If the film was cut down and tension amped this could have been one hell of a superb horror anthology episode.

Sadly, as a feature film. It doesn’t quite work.

Doll House  review by Sean Evans

Doll House  will be released through 101 Films on 23rd March 2019 on DVD and digital download from Rellik Films, Greenway Entertainment and Champdog Films.

All photos in this article are (C) of Gaz De Vere

Whilst the premise is incredible and the movie is much improved from an aesthetic standpoint it sadly drags on and wears a little thin.

The film does however have potential to be an incredible short film!

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Owner of Back to the Movies and Born in Stoke on Trent Sean Evans set up this website to talk about films the way you'd talk to your friends about them. No critics, just fans.

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Netflix review: Baron Geisler wants to be a good guy in 'Doll House'

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Why Doll House is Baron Geisler's "renaissance"

Bring out the tissues because Doll House is guaranteed to make the viewers cry!

Starring Baron Geisler and six-year-old child actress Althea Ruedas , Doll House started streaming on Netflix on October 7, 2022, and is holding on to the top spot in the streaming platform’s list of Top 10 Movies in the Philippines .

Many are calling the film "Baron’s Renaissance."

After more than two decades of playing "parating masama roles," he is given the chance again to reinvent himself and remind us all of his versatility as an actor.

The 40-year-old actor has openly struggled with addiction and alcoholism, and now, he stars in a film where his character Rustin battles the same demons.

Will Rustin be able to conquer them?

The film’s short summary on Netflix reads, “In this emotional drama, a troubled rock star makes up for lost time with his estranged daughter.”

PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) gives four more reasons it's getting rave reviews.

ART IMITATES LIFE

Baron’s real-life struggles have given him the credibility to play Rustin .

It seemed effortless for him.

The actor himself admits, “Naka-identify ako sa character ni Rustin. And nagamit ko siya sa kuwento, sa character ko, sa mga hugot especially na may anak din akong babae."

(Baron has a one-year-old daughter with his wife Jamie Evangelista .)

This makes it a little difficult to separate Baron from his character Rustin, but it also makes one root for Rustin’s redemption, just as many of Baron’s fans and colleagues want the same for the actor.

Baron’s performance in the film is proof that, in spite of all the scandals and controversies that have tainted his career, he is a very talented actor who deserves a golden opportunity such as this one.

THE LOVE BETWEEN FATHER AND DAUGHTER

Doll House is clearly the story of Rustin and Yumi, and all of their scenes together are a delight to watch.

Though the scene that serves as a prelude to their father-daughter moments is a bit abrupt, their fondness for each other and closeness come out naturally.

Althea has said in a previous interview with PEP.ph that her favorite scenes are those where her character Yumi bonds with Daddy Rustin, “Kasi, talagang hindi kami nag-a-acting. Nag-e-enjoy lang po talaga kami.”

That joy is indeed evident throughout the film.

And it is refreshing to see the carefree side of Baron again.

ALL THE AUTUMN FEELS IN ROTTERDAM

Now that the world is opening up to post-pandemic travel, Doll House makes you want to add Rotterdam to your bucket list.

While the second-largest city in the Netherlands has its fair share of skyscrapers, the film decides to focus on a suburban neighborhood instead.

This allows viewers to see how the locals live, and appreciate classic European architecture amidst the beauty of nature.

MUSIC AS A LANGUAGE OF LOVE

Rustin is a troubled rock star, so it’s inevitable for music to play a role in the film.

One of the advantages of turning on the subtitles is it becomes easier to catch the lyrics of the songs performed in the film.

And the chosen songs aptly reflect Rustin’s state of mind and heart at the time.

Special mention goes to the Ogie Alcasid hit song “Pangako,” which plays a significant role throughout the film.

Perhaps a final reason to watch the film is to answer the question: why is it titled Doll House ? You’ll have to watch to find out!

Baron Geisler, "poging-pogi sa sarili" sa Netflix movie na Doll House

Doll House ni Baron Geisler, No. 1 na sa Netflix Philippines

Baron Geisler, natupad ang hiling na magka-pelikula tulad kay Paolo Contis

Baron Geisler details how alcohol and drugs almost destroyed his life: "Wala ako sa tama kasi laging may tama."

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Doll House Movie Review

Written by Joel Harley

Released by 101 Films

Directed by Steven M. Smith Written by Christopher Jolley and Stephen M. Smith 2020, 85 minutes, Rated 18 (UK) Released on 23rd March 2020

Starring: Toyah Willcox as Layla Mark Wingett as James Louisa Warren as Heather Paul Danan as Andy

Little orphan Ava arrives at her new foster home with her only possessions – a porcelain doll and a doll house – in tow. The creepy vibes given off by the little girl and her pretend pal are but a precursor to the main event – soul-sucking paranormal activity and mysterious disappearances in the night. It isn’t long at all before people begin to go missing around the house, only to turn up as stuffed toys in Ava’s doll house.

Director Steven M. Smith is no stranger to the low-budget cinema of Great Britain, and his Doll House slots in quite neatly with the rest of his quite sizeable filmography (all cheap British supernatural thrillers or cheap British football hooligan thrillers). While the film is very evidently on the lower end of the budget spectrum, its story is competently told, with heaps of atmosphere and dread. This is not a good-looking film, but it is vividly shot in places; the filmmakers certainly know where to point their camera, even if they couldn’t afford a good one.

None of which is to say that Doll House is more than the sum of its bargain-basement parts. The story is a clichéd one, and none of its shocks or scares are particularly shocking or scary. The film is precisely what it purports to be, lacking any surprises or deviations from the Evil Orphan playbook. The Bill star Mark Wingett channels his inner modern-day Robert DeNiro to play psychiatrist James; perhaps the film’s most egregious cliché. The Toyah Willcox cameo is bizarre but welcome, and a nice break from the amateur hour acting from almost everyone else.

In that respect, it’s probably for a best that the film’s two leads are mute (one communicating almost entirely via Post-It notes), sparing us at least some of the horrible wooden British acting that plagues the film elsewhere. Regardless, poor Saffia Larter-Green manages to be terrible without ever saying a word, so there’s little respite from the film’s most off-putting elements.

Which is a shame, as the film does show promise at times. There are glimpses of properly Evil Dead snarling and gnashing demons, and what little action there is looks and feels gratifyingly grisly. There’s Toyah Willcox too, but she isn’t in it nearly enough. The film teases and plays with some fun ideas, but never brings them to the forefront, instead shuffling on with its duller, cheaper, easier ideas.

Doll House is a cheap but cheerful supernatural thriller, coasting on atmosphere and minor outbreaks of gore. These foundations are just about strong enough to hold the whole thing up, but it’s a flimsy, ugly little thing.

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‘Doll House’ Ending, Explained: Does Rustin Remember Yumi?

“Simple and not that sweet” is our assessment of “Doll House.” It follows a man named Rustin, trying to get to know his daughter after he abandoned his family eight years ago. If we were to be honest, there is nothing really wrong with the movie. It has its moments, and the ending is something that genuinely puts a smile on our faces. The actors delivered better than their assignments. It was just that the story lacked depth. It needed something more. Let us go through the events of it so that we can explain our emotions better.

Spoilers Ahead

How Does Rustin Get to Know His Daughter?

“Doll House” begins with a young girl, Yumi, making her way to a nursing home to meet her father. When she gets there, she excitedly greets him, but to her disappointment, he doesn’t recognize her. The movie switches to the past, and we see the story behind the two. It all starts with Rustin playing at a club. He is not shown as someone likable, and apparently, he just believes in living in the moment, which includes playing music for a living while doing drugs to his heart’s content. But that night was one of his best friends, Diego’s 40th birthday. When they are celebrating, Diego talks about how he is ready to die now that he feels fulfilled. He says that the only people not ready to die are those who still need to do things in life. This hits home for Rustin and sets him to think about himself. The next day, true to Diego’s wishes, he passes away, possibly from a drug overdose. Things aren’t investigated further as Rustin is the General’s son. When he goes home, his father is angry and questions him whether he plans on continuing to sully his name, but Rustin is dismissive of his concerns. However, the events prompt him to take the next flight to Rotterdam, where he had once lived and worked for a few years. This is also where he got married to Sheena. But the marriage had not lasted as he did not have a direction in life and was not capable of thinking of anyone besides himself. He left when Sheena was still pregnant and never returned. He meets a man named Bok, whose niece is called Yumi. As the introductions happen, Rustin comes to know that Sheena has remarried but has passed away in a car accident. Since then, Yumi has grown up with Rachelle and Bok. He places two and two together and figures out that she is his daughter. Rustin starts planning his next course of action. He is in talks for a gig at the local pub, but he is not sure whether he wants to stay in Rotterdam for long enough.

The next day, he offers to babysit Yumi while Bok goes away on some business. Spending the day with his daughter brings them closer to each other. The next day, when he has to babysit again, he takes her to a local restaurant, where he has to meet the band leader to discuss his employment. He tells him that he is not sure whether he will stay there for long but would be happy to join them if he decides to do so. When he goes back to the restaurant, there is a brief moment of panic when he can’t find Yumi, but she is just playing the piano. It makes him extremely happy to see his daughter share his love for music.

When he takes her back, he tells her that if she reveals anything about their outing, they won’t be able to hang out again. Yumi agrees to keep it a secret, and she also tells him about the upcoming school auditions. Rachelle and Bok have asked her to take voice lessons before, but that means that she would miss them. Rustin promises to help her out. From that day on, whenever he babysits her, he gives her lessons, but Yumi continues to be a bad singer. Both of them get very close and start treating each other as best friends. Bok, Rustin, and Yumi spend the whole day in the park, where Bok mentions that the two of them genuinely look like father and daughter. That night, after Yumi is put to bed, Bok is on a video call with Rachelle, and she ends up seeing Rust. She reveals his true identity to them, and Bok is angry. He forbids him from visiting Yumi again.

However, the next day, Yumi sneaks out to meet him anyway. As they talk, Bok comes knocking on the door. Rustin and Yumi sneak out through the back and escape from him. He calls Bok and informs him that he is just going to fulfill a promise he made to her. The two spend that day in the park after a final attempt at voice lessons. They stayed at a hotel that night. Rustin makes another call to Bok but finds that Rachelle has come over. He tells her that he will drop off Yumi after the audition, but Rachelle tells him that he is just setting up the child for disappointment. Rustin is furious. After he puts Yumi to sleep, he continues drinking while contemplating whether he should just tell her the truth. The next morning, they are late when Yumi wakes him up. Both of them make a run for it and reach the venue just in time. Rachelle and Bok are already there, with the former in a bad mood about the whole thing, while the latter is a little more trusting of his relative.

After the audition, Yumi is upset when she comes to know that she hasn’t made it, but Rustin comforts her, just like a father would. But as luck would have it, after a night of drinking, not getting enough sleep, and running beyond your limits, Rustin ends throwing up. He is dropped off at his place, where a trip of self-loathing and intense regrets makes him go on a drug overdose. The next day, Yumi insists on meeting him so that she can take her promised doll house. Bok and Rachelle decide to take her, indicating that they have started to believe in Rustin and are willing to give him a chance. But when they come to know that he has overdosed, any trust he might have earned is dashed to bits, just like the dollhouse he had been building for Yumi.

A month later, he tries to meet them after recovering. But Rachelle confronts him and demands to know whether he even has a plan. Not having an answer for her, a defeated Rustin goes to the grave of Sheena and apologizes for not knowing better when he had the chance. This scene right here showed the commitment of the actors toward their characters, which is what gives the movie its oomph despite the script’s shortcomings.

‘Doll House’ Ending Explained: Does Rustin Remember Yumi?

The movie brings us back to the present day. Yumi tells us that she came to know the truth about her dad a few years ago. Rustin had gone to rehab after returning to the Philippines but had relapsed after the death of his father. At one of his shows, he had suffered a stroke and had since been in a nursing home. Yumi tries to make him remember their time spent together, but Rustin seems to have no clue. Nevertheless, she spends the day with him and asks if she can continue to visit him. Rustin tells her that he doesn’t get any visitors and would be glad to see her more often. When she drops him off at his room, she finds that it is full of dollhouses that he has made. He talks about how he is making them for his best friend, who sings off-key. Turns out, Rustin remembers Yumi and the relationship he shared with her, but he doesn’t remember anything else, and that memory is what has kept him company all these years. Whatever we say about the movie, the ending is as beautiful and sweet as it could be, and it really warmed our hearts to see the smiles on their faces as the camera closed with a montage of their time together all those years back.

Final Thoughts: What Works For The ‘Doll House’ Film?

“Doll House” is a story about grasping the straws of a life that could have been. The death of a loved one makes Rustin want to check on his daughter as his way of having no regrets, but the moment he does that, he realizes that not having her in his life was the greatest mistake ever. Maybe he was better suited to being an Uncle Clyde than a father figure, but drugs did not allow him even that liberty. The movie itself is crisp and visually beautiful. It was sufficiently engaging and, in its essence, just a sweet story about the price of letting go of family. A worthy weekend watch if you are tired of scrolling through your watchlist and can’t really decide on anything.

“Doll House” is a 2022 Drama film directed by Marla Ancheta.

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Doll House (2022) ending explained: Does Rustin get to raise Yumi?

Doll House is a Netflix film where Rustin, a drug addict, tries to rekindle his daughter who he left behind in Rotterdam. Shortcomings of the past create hurdles but what keeps the relationship sustained is the unrevealed identity of the father.

Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers

Plot Summary

Long patches of greenery and a car racing through them constitute the onset of the movie. A young girl travels to a healthcare centre where she visits an old gentleman who is unaware of who the girl is. 

The movie travels back in time to a scene wherein Rustin and Diego, two members of a rock band are seen conversing. After a recent gig, the two of them alongside the other members of the band celebrate Diego’s 40th birthday by consuming drugs and alcohol.

The next morning, Diego is found dead due to an overdose in the apartment they were staying in the night before. After local authorities take the dead body away, Rustin returns home where he has a brief interlude with his father who was an army general. The conversation does not favour Rustin in any way and he goes back to his room.

Weeks later, Rustin arrives in Rotterdam, Netherlands. In a conversation with the cab driver, he states that he used to work and live in the city. After going back to the apartment, he takes a walk on the street which reminds him of the time he proposed to Sheena.

Flashbacks of times of arguments about his career and addiction to drugs hit his head as he walks further down the street and looks at the house he lived in with Sheena before their divorce. 

A young man named Bok is seen juggling with a pile of boxes to be taken inside the house. Rustin approaches Bok to help him out with his packages and introduces himself as Cylde. Yumi, Bok’s niece, calls him out, however, not by his name but by calling him Beauty. 

Bok invites Rustin (calling him Clyde) inside where the latter stays quiet about the fact that he is, in fact, Yumi’s father who abandoned her and Sheena. Bok goes on to tell Rustin about how he and Rachelle, Sheena’s sister, started looking after Yumi after the death of Sheena and her second husband. 

Later, Rustin visits a bar/cafe where a band owner approaches him to become a lead singer. The next morning, Rustin meets Bok who is in distress as he needs someone to babysit Yumi. Rustin steps in and asks if he could do it.

After hesitating at first, Bob finally agrees to let Rustin babysit his niece. Yumi and Rustin tend to spend a lot of time together playing, dancing and building rocket ships.

After returning home Rustin reflects upon himself and thinks of his time with his daughter. Bok comes by Rustin’s apartment the next day to ask whether he could babysit Yumi yet again.

After agreeing to it, Rustin goes to meet Jack, the band owner who approached him earlier. He agrees to become a member of his band if he were to stay in Rotterdam for good. After this brief conversation, he goes back to Yumi who he brought him to the cafe. 

After coming back to Bok’s house, Yumi mentions that she wants to become a singer. Her mother and Bok won’t let her audition for an upcoming event without prior vocal lessons. After hearing this, Rustin promises Yumi to train her for the auditions.

The next day, Yumi and Bok visit Rustin yet again and find an unfinished dollhouse. Rustin promises to give it to the little girl only after he finishes it. The three of them then spend the day together at the park, creating a deeper bond between the father and his daughter.

Doll House (2022) ending explained in detail:

How is Rustin’s true identity finally revealed?

All hell breaks loose when they all go back home and Bok gets Rachelle on a video chat. She happens to see Rustin’s face and recognizes him immediately.

After receiving this information, Bok feels deceived and starts interrogating Rustin for his shortcomings. He then tells him to not visit them anymore. 

He leaves the place and sits on a bench in the street drunk. His father calls him up and the latter tells him about the happenings in Rotterdam.

Does Rustin fix his relationship with his father?

In a conversation with his father, Rustin admits to having been a horrible son, brother and husband. His father asks him to come back home to the Philippines and stay with him in his house.  

A few days pass by and Yumi asks Bok about Rustin (to her, uncle Clyde). She is told sternly that he cannot visit them anymore. However, she sneaks out of her house and goes to Rustin. When Bok comes banging at the door to find Yumi, he sees them running out in a heartwarming moment.

Rustin takes Yumi out to the park to get her vocals set for the singing auditions to be held the next day. They tend to spend more time together as they won’t see each other again after the auditions.

Rachelle and Bok arrive the next day at the place where Yumi’s auditions were to be held. Rustin realises they are late and they run to the venue. Even though Yumi does not perform as expected, Rustin thinks it to be perfect as flashbacks of Sheena put him to tears whilst Yumi sings. 

When he returns home from the audition, Rustin consumes heavy drugs and starts working on the unfinished dollhouse. However, when Rachelle, Bok and Yumi arrive at Rustin’s house to get the dollhouse, he is seen taken to the hospital as he fell unconscious due to overdose.

At the hospital, Yumi tries to wake Rustin up by singing but he doesn’t.

A month later, Rachelle bumps into Rustin on the street where the latter tries to explain himself, however, Rachelle refuses Rustin’s request to visit Yumi. He then walks to Sheena’s grave and repents for his actions.

Does Yumi ever get to know her father?

The background voice of grown-up Yumi reveals that she had come to know of Rustin’s true identity just a few years back. Rustin returns to the Philippines and gets into rehab. 

Cut back to the present day, the young girl and the old gentleman who was seen at the beginning of the film were Yumi and Rustin respectively. Rustin’s memory was affected by a stroke he had experienced. 

Does Yumi ever get her dollhouse?

Yumi spends the entire day with Rustin at the healthcare centre. In the end, when she takes him back to his room, she sees a plethora of dollhouses that her father had made for her. 

Also Read: Luckiest Girl Alive ending explained: Does Ani confront her past?

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Doll House (2022) Ending Explained – What happens to Rustin?

Doll House Plot Synopsis

The story begins with a glimmer of the future, with a young woman arriving at a nursing home to find her father the worse for wear. He’s lost his memory and doesn’t remember who she is. This man is Rustin, and we dive back in time to see him at the height of his infamy.

Performing in a rock band, Rustin works hard and plays hard in equal measure, with a steady cocktail of alcohol and drugs to keep him going. When his friend Diego takes a turn for the worst, Rustin decides to make amends for the ills he’s caused, and jets off to Rotterdam to make that happen.

So what’s in Holland you ask? Well, only his estranged daughter Yumi who he decided to abandon while his wife Sheena was pregnant to pursue a life of playing rock music. Since then, no one has heard from him. Sadly, Sheena passed away, turning the care duties across to Bok and Rachelle. When Rustin shows up, he adopts a fake persona under the name of Clyde in an effort to get to know his daughter, Yumi.

What convinces Rustin to go to Rotterdam?

Rustin is 40 years old when we start the movie, and he’s a rocker without a family. He clearly feels unfulfilled and when his friend Diego collapses in the morning after a drug overdose, Rustin decides to turn his life around. Diego’s words echo in his head when he makes this decision. Diego’s words were “People who aren’t ready to die have unfulfilled lives.”

So what is the Doll House?

With Rachelle off on a work trip and Rustin spending more time with little Yumi, she heads over to his place and notices a project he’s been working on. Rustin’s not done with it yet but he promises she can have it when he’s finished. It’s a dollhouse.

This is symbolic for the home Rustin never had with Sheena, deciding to abandon the family and leave everything hollow and empty when it was once full. Seeing the house in pieces is a nice way of contextualizing what happened when Rustin abandoned them all to do drugs and play in his band.

How does Rachelle find out about Rustin?

Halfway through the movie, Rachelle rings Bok and the secret is out during a videocall. After saying goodnight to Yumi, the phone is spun round and Rustin is right there. Bok confronts Rustin in the kitchen when he learns the truth, pointing out he’s never been there for Yumi. All the way through Sheena’s pregnancy and the years Yumi has grown up, Rustin has been absent. “You owe us this much. Don’t mess with her [Yumi’s] life.” Bok says.

Bok doesn’t give Yumi a reason why she can’t see Rustin anymore, remaining defiant that she can’t see him. So naturally, as an inquisitive child, she heads over to Rustin’s place unannounced.

Why do Rustin and Yumi run away together?

After promising to take her to a singing audition, despite her having a bad voice but talent playing the keyboard, the pair run away and escape from Bok. He’s worried sick and just wants to look out for the girl. Rustin does ring him, telling Bok that he made a promise, but he switches his phone off afterwards.

Rustin and Yumi have one last day together, before Rustin tells his daughter it’ll be the last that they have fun like this. They stay in a hotel before the school auditions.

Unfortunately, Rustin gets blind drunk when she’s asleep, and in the morning he’s hungover and almost misses the performance. They make it to the audition just in time, but while Yumi’s singing isn’t very good, Rustin hears an angelic voice coming from her. Predictably, Yumi isn’t picked for the school play, but does pick up an important lesson about always trying, no matter what.

What happens to Rustin?

Rustin suddenly starts throwing up but it seems it’s just a reaction to the alcohol he drunk the night before. He heads home after saying goodbye, and immediately starts snorting cocaine and drinking alcohol again.

When Yumi, Rachelle and Bok show up to get the dollhouse Rustin promised the young girl, there’s a problem. Rustin has overdosed and is rushed to hospital. The dollhouse inside appears to be finished and complete. They don’t pick it up though, given Rustin’s absence.

Rustin gets himself back on track, gets a job and tries to see his daughter again. However, Rachelle is having none of it. Rustin visits Sheena at her grave instead, admitting he’s wasted everything in his life. He apologizes for the hurt he’s caused, admitting that it was love at first sight for him when he laid eyes on Sheena. He bemoans not trying harder when she was alive.

How does Doll House end?

Shortly after this incident, Bok and Rachelle leave to go and stay in a different house. Rustin does get sober, but only temporarily. Back in the Philippines he starts to make amends but relapses when his father dies. After playing a little too hard at a show, Rustin collapses and has a stroke.

Since this stroke, Rustin can’t remember much. And that brings us full circle to the start of the movie.

Yumi shows off pictures on her phone but Rustin doesn’t seem to remember her at all. She sticks around and helps him out all day, before taking Rustin back to his room.

Inside, he has a number of dollhouses dotted around the room he’s been working on. Rustin remembers that he’s doing this for his best friend who sings off-key, but can’t remember exactly who she is.

The movie finishes with a montage of the moments Rustin and Yumi spent together, reiterating how important she has been to his recovery.

In the end, she’s the only bright spark left in his life that’s been mired in addiction and misery. It seems to hint that Yumi will be sticking around for the long-haul and will try to bridge the gap between them, but with Rustin’s memory failing, it’s a sobering moment at the death of this movie, as it seems he never will have that connection with her.

Read More: Doll House Movie Review

Feel free to check out more of our movie reviews here!

2 thoughts on “doll house (2022) ending explained – what happens to rustin”.

I cried while I’m watching this movie. Baron is a very good actor and played his roller to well. Heartbreaking .I hope there will be a part 2

She should try singing off-key. That way maybe her father could remember her.

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4 takeaways from President Biden’s Oval Office address

Domenico Montanaro

President Biden speaks during an address to the nation about his decision to not seek reelection in the Oval Office at the White House on Wednesday. Evan Vucci/Pool/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

For the latest on race for president, head to NPR's Election 2024 page.

It’s not often that a politician takes a step back.

They are often their own biggest champions. But in rare cases, when the writing is on the wall, because of age, health — or politics, they do.

In an address to the nation from the Oval Office Wednesday night, President Biden said he will serve out his term as president, noting there are still things he wants to accomplish. But he explained that he is not seeking reelection, in part, because he wants to “pass the torch to a new generation.”

Here are four takeaways from what Biden had to say:

1. Biden tried to send the message that no one person is bigger than the country — and that what America stands for is at stake.

“Nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy,” Biden said. “That includes personal ambition.”

It was a remarkable statement for Biden, 81, who has held public office for more than half a century and ran for president multiple times — unsuccessfully until Donald Trump came along — and was ushered into office at 78 years old, the oldest person ever to be elected president.

Biden's brand was overcoming obstacles. But this one, he couldn't beat

Biden invoked past presidents — Abraham Lincoln, he said, urged Americans to “reject malice;” Franklin Delano Roosevelt implored the country to “reject fear.” He cited George Washington, who, by stepping aside after two terms despite his popularity, “showed us presidents are not kings.”

“I revere this office,” Biden said, “but I love my country more. It's been the honor of my life to serve as your president, but in the defense of democracy, which is at stake, I think it's more important than any title.”

In other words, Vice President Harris gives those who see former President Trump as an existential threat to that democracy the best chance to win because of Biden’s diminished capabilities to prosecute the case against him.

It's a case that Biden sees as necessary for someone to make effectively, considering Trump's unwillingness to accept the results of the 2020 election and his refusal to agree to accept the results of the upcoming election.

6 political takeaways from Biden's decision to step aside

In Washington’s farewell address on Sept. 19, 1796, he also warned that “cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.”

“The great thing about America is,” Biden said, “here, kings and dictators do not rule; the people do.”

Biden and others see that foundational American principle as lost on someone like Trump, who, when he visited Mount Vernon, Washington’s estate in Virginia, in 2019 with French President Emmanuel Macron, said of the nation’s first president, per Politico :

“If he was smart, he would’ve put his name on it. You’ve got to put your name on stuff or no one remembers you.”

2. Biden desperately wants to be seen as a uniter, but that’s been a struggle for him as president — and maybe one of his biggest personal disappointments.

President Joe Biden pauses before he addresses the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Wednesday about his decision to drop his Democratic presidential reelection bid. Evan Vucci/Pool/via AP hide caption

The president cited the need for unity among Americans multiple times:

“America is going to have to choose between moving forward or backward, between hope and hate, between unity and division.” “In this moment, we can see those we disagree with not as enemies, but as fellow Americans.” “The sacred cause of this country is larger than any one of us, and those of us who cherish that cause … a cause of American democracy itself, [we] must unite to protect it.” “So I've decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That's the best way to unite our nation.” “Let's act together, preserve our democracy.”

The idea of uniting the country is something Biden ran on in 2020. But it hasn’t worked out that way. He’s been sharply criticized by the right and views of him — in this hyperpolarized environment where people get their information largely from sources that reinforce their previously held beliefs — are as partisan as any president before him, including Trump.

Just 43% said they had a favorable view of Biden, according to an NPR/PBS News/Marist poll taken before the debate between him and Trump. That included just 38% of independents and only 10% of Republicans.

3. This is the start of a review of Biden’s legacy — and that views of it may take a long time to set in.

Biden defended his legacy and laid out what he believes he’s accomplished and what he still hopes to do.

“I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America's future, all merited a second term,” he said, “but nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition.”

Poll: Presidential race hits a reset with Harris vs. Trump

The latest NPR poll , taken this week after Biden said he would not continue to run for reelection, tested what people think of his presidency. It showed most, right now, are unimpressed.

Despite the record of legislative accomplishments Biden cited, only slightly more than a quarter of respondents said he would be remembered as an above average president or one of the best presidents in U.S. history. Half said he would be remembered as below average or one of the worst.

Those views can change with time, especially when a president is no longer in the political arena. President Obama’s favorability, for example, has improved since leaving office and views of his signature legislative achievement, the Affordable Care Act, have hit record highs.

A 2022 survey of historians found Biden rated as the 19th best president of the 46 that have served. Trump was in the bottom five at No. 43. But, at this point, Americans overall, feel differently.

4. After seeing Harris for a few days, the contrast with Biden is clear.

Vice President Harris speaks to supporters during a campaign rally at West Allis Central High School on Tuesday in West Allis, Wis. Jim Vondruska/Getty Images hide caption

Biden could have made the determination years ago, after saying he would be a “transitional” president during the 2020 election, that he would not run for reelection.

But the realities of his personal limitations after his dismal debate performance last month, and how his political support had cratered in swing states led to this moment.

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For years now, Democrats have been holding their breath with every public appearance he made. They crossed their fingers that he would acquit himself at least decently well, but they knew one bad speech, interview or… debate… could sink his — and their party’s — chances to hold onto the White House.

After watching Harris' first couple of days of campaigning, from her first speech before staffers to her first official campaign rally in Wisconsin, Democrats have been breathing a bit easier.

She has spoken clearly and coherently, and there has been energy from the grassroots. Whether that lasts or if it resonates with swing voters is still to be decided.

Biden didn’t explicitly lay out Wednesday night why he stepped aside, but watching what was an, at times, halting address, the contrast was like night and day.

It was very much a moment in history with a president, who appeared in many ways, to be delivering something of his own farewell. He was recognizing he cannot be as effective a campaigner as he would have liked, so he is taking a step back from the public eye, handing over the reins of the campaign to his vice president for the next 103 critical days in American democracy.

• election 2024