Barbie Review
Mattel's Barbie doll has been a cultural symbol in the United States since 1959. So much so that the history of the toy has been a reflection of American culture from the advent of television to the present. Greta Gerwig's big-screen version of the toy icon Barbie is a fantasy that layers pop culture, heavy nostalgia, and social critique like a layer cake with bright pink icing.
Barbie recounts a simple fable: all is fine in Barbieland until Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) experiences an existential crisis. Her feet have gone completely flat. She notices cellulite and begins to think about her mortality. This Barbie is instructed to seek out Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon), Barbieland's wise woman/shaman figure. Weird Barbie has seen it all and knows the ways of the world after being abused to the point of ruin. She informs Barbie that something has gone wrong in the real world and that she must journey there to try to repair it. Barbie embarks on the traditional Hero's Journey, fulfilling all of the ritual prerequisites.
Barbieland is a feminist utopia where women hold all positions of power, and the Kens and the lone Allan (played perfectly by Micheal Cera) are largely ornamental. As Barbie leaves her perfect home, she faces a shocking fish-out-of-water revelation of how flawed and complex the real world is. Further complicating her journey is the fact that one of the Kens (Ryan Gosling) has stowed away in the back seat of her pink 1960s Corvette convertible and is going with her to our world. He interrupts her vision quest as she’s singing the Indigo Girls’ feminist anthem Closer to Fine. She reluctantly agrees to take him along.
The Kens' (all of them, but epitomized by Ryan Gosling) design has a fundamental problem in that he does not exist outside of the setting of Barbie. He only feels natural when he has her full attention. He's only a prop. His intelligence is childish, and he competes for Barbie's attention with the other Kens (played by Simu Liu and Kingsley Ben-Adir, among others). When he arrives in our society and witnesses the unbalanced power dynamic of gender inequality, he comes to destructive conclusions. Barbie soon finds herself embroiled in conflicts while attempting to solve the original problem, as well as dealing with renegade Ken(s).
Barbie succeeds on numerous levels. It's a lighthearted, delightful adventure with a powerful message. Robbie is proving to be our generation's true cinematic star. She consistently produces outrageously amazing performances, from her high-voltage troublemaker in Babylon to Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad and Birds of Prey. She was born to portray Barbie and carries the film gracefully and powerfully. Gosling balances her equally well.
The supporting actors and entertaining cameos round out Barbie's pleasure. McKinnon adds her own flair to Weird Barbie, while Will Farrell performs his customary duties as Mattel's CEO. Think Lord Business from The LEGO Movie, but with a pink tie. Neither performance is outside of their comfort zones, yet they are both exactly what they should be. Helen Mirren's voiceover serves as a pleasant companion throughout the ride. The film's experience is similar to going to a Women's March that transforms into a big party with a superb DJ.
Viewers will be very surprised at what Mattel lets Gerwig get away with here. If the director accepted a single studio note from Warner Bros. or Mattel, you certainly can’t tell. Much like her 2019 version of “Little Women,” the filmmaker has taken a cultural touchstone of many young girls’ lives and created something entirely new and distinctly her own.
There was considerable hesitation about using Baumbach as a co-writer because he is known for his dark sarcasm and angst. However, longtime colleague Greta Gerwig keeps him inside the boundaries, and the result is perfectly balanced. There are numerous ways to enjoy this film if you don't care about the moral of the story. It's a fun time, and one can easily just vibe on the music and color palette, the wacky yet somewhat misplaced humor, and an interesting nostalgia catalog of Mattel toys and accessories without investing too much mental capacity in the overloaded social justice theme. Another minor drawback in the film is that some aspects of the plot might feel slightly predictable, particularly for older viewers. However, the film's universal themes and positive messages more than compensate for any predictability.
Following this achievement, it's easy to forecast Gerwig's future career success. Netflix has already hired her to direct films based on The Chronicles of Narnia. If this picture sells well, it may represent a shot across the bow of the Marvel MCU, which is getting a little old. It's possible that we'll be trading comic superheroes for nostalgic toys. Bad Robot is developing a Hot Wheels film, and more toy-to-screen projects are in the works. Mattel is coming for you, Marvel. It's also not out of the question that there will be a Broadway musical version of Barbie at some point.