Barbie Review: An Uproarious, Existential Adventure And One Of The Best Of The Year
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being reviewed here wouldn't exist.
Greta Gerwig is officially 3/3 with directorial features and despite the highly-recognizable IP at the center of "Barbie," absolutely no other director could have pulled off the hat trick of delivering an extravagant celebration of golden age musicals, intellectual musings on gender theory, and a moving embrace of femininity quite like her. Co-written with Noah Baumbach, "Barbie" takes a glittery pink heel to the throat of anyone that dared to think Gerwig would deliver anything less than greatness, and encompasses the complicated and wonderful legacy of an American institution with over 60 years of history.
The absurdly stacked cast of "Barbie" is utilized well, with Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Kate McKinnon, and Issa Rae so dialed into their characters it's hard not to smile the moment they step on screen. Rae, in particular, was responsible for the loudest laugh during our press screening and already has my vote for her President Barbie reelection campaign. Michael Cera's inclusion as Ken's Buddy Allan is also a delight, and I can only hope this leads to a Ceraissance (once the strikes are over, of course).
My hopes for "Barbie" were as high, and we at /Film even named the film our most anticipated of the year. Well, I'm pleased as pink punch to say that "Barbie" exceeds all expectations, and with all the love to "Lady Bird" and "Little Women," is Gerwig's best film yet.
Ryan Gosling's Kenergy cannot be contained
While Margot Robbie is certainly the star of the show, "Barbie" follows the time-honored tradition of her various media appearances by cranking up the Kenergy tenfold. Ryan Gosling is a consistently solid performer, but his commitment to Ken is unlike anything else he's ever done. In lesser hands, Ken would become a one-note punchline in a fringe vest, but with Gosling beneath the fur coat and bleach-blonde hair, he's a deeply complex and sympathetic figure struggling to navigate the prison of masculinity. The reason "Barbie" works is because everyone on screen plays their characters with the utmost sincerity, and watching Gosling's emotional journey as pop culture's most famous second-fiddle male figure is nothing short of brilliant.
Gerwig's film will most certainly be hailed as a feminist film — which it undeniably is — but the feminism is not limited to women's empowerment and the quest for equitable treatment. The patriarchy hurts everyone, including men, and Ken is the perfect vehicle to discuss why declaring one gender identity over others to be "the best," only leads to pain and confusion. Gosling treats the plight of Ken with such a passionate, thoughtful touch, it's no wonder Gerwig wrote the film with him in mind. Anyone who said he was "too old" to play Ken needs to sit in the corner and chew Barbie shoes for such a laughably childish opinion.
I say this with no exaggeration — this is an Oscar-caliber performance. Of course, we live in an unjust world, the very place that "Barbie" is dedicated to dismantling, which means too many uptight snobs will fail to recognize the remarkable performance before them. There is not an actor alive on Earth who could have delivered what Gosling brought to the screen and if Warner Bros. hasn't already greenlit the "Ken's Mojo Dojo Casa House" sequel, they're even bigger fools than they already are for not outsing their CEO by now.
If you love Barbie, this movie is for you
I'd be remiss not to point out the mind-melting attention to detail interwoven throughout the film, as Gerwig perfectly captures the uncanny delight of imaginative play that comes with Barbie. The Dreamhouses and Barbieland are a candy-coated feast for the eyes, the production design is an absolute masterclass in world-building, and Jacqueline Durran's recreations of some of Barbie's most iconic fashions will certainly require a new display shelf in her home come awards season.
Every second in Barbieland takes the fantastical dreams of childhood play and makes them tangible. There were moments when I could actively feel my brain regressing back to being an 8-year-old girl playing out scenarios in my hand-me-down Dreamhouse, and I let out an audible gasp loaded with wonder when the Barbie ambulance unfolded and became a mini-clinic. Lest we forget, Barbie was doing "Transformers" toy tech long before the robots in disguise.
Gerwig's love of Barbie is evident not only in its look but also in its appreciation of Barbie's history and lore. Kate McKinnon's "Weird Barbie" is representative of all of the dolls that were played with a little too hard, and her Weirdhouse has become a sanctuary for the canceled dolls of Barbie past. I won't spoil which infamous dolls make an appearance but know that Weird Barbie is the new owner of Tanner the pooping dog. If you know, you know.
But it's the addition of Rhea Perlman's character, who I will not spoil for you in this review, that brought me to tears. I cried a lot during this film, but Perlman's addition brings the film to new heights. It's a character appearance that will be lost on a lot of viewers but mean the world to those whose lives have been shaped by Barbie. It's the most obvious sign that this was not Gerwig "selling out" in making a massive, IP-based blockbuster. It's a "thank you" wrapped in a hot pink embrace.
If you hate Barbie, this movie is for you
The secret weapon of "Barbie" is Gerwig's approach to the rightful criticisms of Mattel's most iconic creation (suck it, Hot Wheels), and the unapologetic acknowledgment that life in plastic is not fantastic to a lot of people. Capitalism, consumerism, gender politics, unattainable beauty standards, pressures of femininity, navigating a patriarchal society, socialized gender roles, bimboification, and even mental health issues inspired by simply existing in our backward-ass society are all addressed — through the lens of Barbie in Barbieland as well as Barbie's impact on the real world. Calling it now, there are going to be a lot of critics who will include some sort of line about being "shocked" with how much they enjoyed "Barbie," in an attempt to keep their masculinity or #NotLikeMostGirls reputations intact within an industry that demonizes and discredits anyone who appreciates something so undeniably feminine.
Margot Robbie's performance is breathtaking but impossible to discuss without spoiling. Just know that the same journey many women have taken to come to terms with their feelings about Barbie, Robbie's Barbie must do for herself. When she cries, we cry.
I will not deny the negative connotations many people have with the existence of Barbie, and Gerwig's script validates anyone who has ever felt lesser-than or unfairly judged for not being more like her. But it's also a film that challenges the naysayers to refocus their disdain and remember who the real enemy is. Barbie is not the cause of anti-feminist sentiment. Barbie is not responsible for the unrealistic expectations put upon women. Barbie is as much a pawn in the patriarchal nightmare game of American society as real women are, and "Barbie" is a reminder that pitting women against each other is the easiest distraction technique in the book ... which is why Gerwig subverts that very notion in the film's climax.
Barbie is everything, and so are you
Greta Gerwig did the impossible with "Barbie," marrying both the confetti-bright sensibilities of the plastic toy that has been a vital friend to many for over half a century and a sharp screenplay that inspires existential ruminations on gender politics and self-love. Moments of laugh-out-loud hilarity are sandwiched between therapeutic affirmations, and America Ferrera's third-act monologue is the rightful heir to Gillian Flynn's "Cool Girl" monologue from "Gone Girl." There's also a meta-America Ferrera Disney Channel Original Movie joke in the final moments that I was very clearly the only person in the theater who got, but it was a beautiful full-circle moment for the heart of the film. "Barbie" may play a little too on the nose for some viewers, but taking into consideration the obstacle course of production notes Gerwig likely had to juggle between WB and Mattel, it's a miracle this film was made at all.
I can only speak for myself, but my expectations for "Barbie" were high, and this film is beyond my wildest imagination. Life inside of a box is no way to be, and Gerwig's film screams out with proud feminine vocal fry what so many of us have been saying for years — women can be anything and do anything. Barbie isn't a requirement or an expectation, she's a tool for our own aspirations. Perfection isn't attainable for anyone, not even Barbie, because her power only exists within the confines of what we give her, and we certainly aren't perfect ourselves.
"Barbie" is an absolute marvel hiding within the plastic pink confines of Barbie, making it a phenomenal reflection of the iconic doll that serves as source material. Gerwig clearly knew the preconceived notions folks would have about the film going into it because they're the same ones lobbied against the doll. Fortunately, she put her best pointed foot forward and delivered one of the best films of the year
/Film Rating: 9 out of 10
"Barbie" arrives in theaters on July 21, 2023.