Barbie is a 2023 adventure-fantasy that follows Barbie and Ken as they travels from their home Barbieland to the real world in a journey of self-discovery.
Nothing plastic, all authentic. In Barbieland, life is simple and satisfying. All the Barbies run this magical place, a stark contrast to the real world. Whether a President Barbie (Issa Rae), a writer Barbie (Alexandra Shipp), everything and anything in between, or just “Stereotypical” Barbie (Margot Robbie), any Barbie can be whatever they want to be in Barbieland and succeed at it. Not so for Ken’s; while they too can be a myriad of occupations, their number one function is to support a Barbie, even as it is often hard to get the attention of one like “Beach” Ken (Ryan Gosling) tries to do repeatedly with Stereotypical Barbie, colloquially known as “Barbie.
One day, Barbie’s idyllic life goes kaput. Her immaculately arched feet become flat. She notices her cellulite. She begins to see visions and hear voices. A visit to the exiled “Weird” Barbie (Kate McKinnnon) details that a crack in the foundational link between Barbieland and the real world is occurring. In other words, someone is playing with her in real life, and she must find out who to reverse the effects. Ken tags along, and the two set out on a journey bound to transform both of them and the world they inhabit.
Obviously, there’s not much more I can add at this point in regards to the phenomenon that was and still sort of is in Barbie. It has spawned numerous memes, countless commercials on Hulu and Max, and easily ensured healthy representation in the way of costumes at every Halloween party this coming fall. Smashing so many box office records during its run and just recently coming into video on demand, it’s a ripe time to cover as it gets a second wind. Barbie is an awesome experience, and a solid, if unspectacular, movie.
After building equity with independent and smaller features in Little Women and Lady Bird, director Greta Gerwig cashes in some of it to helm her first big-budget offering. And while some may scoff at one straying away from their roots, in many ways Barbie is the perfect film for someone to “sell out” for. Since the titular doll wasn’t a pre-existing IP, it allows Gerwig to splash her own color on a blank slate. That she does, leaning into neon and swaths of pink and lavender, all while having a lot of visual fun with the fixed framework of Barbieland. Here, it’s where Gerwig is at her best, with heavy assists from everyone in production, set, and choreography; to list everyone who contributed would make this the opposite of concise. Maybe an entire movie in Barbieland would be an assault on the senses, but I’d be up for the challenge.
You have to commend Gerwig, who co-writes Barbie with her spouse, Noah Baumbach. They use the name brand of the famous Barbie to tell a core story of finding one’s identity within heavy external influences of feminism, masculinity, codependency, and more topical themes. All things considered, the end message is balanced with acknowledging the issues of a gender-homogenized culture. However, while the effort is notable, that doesn’t mean the execution is flawless.
Barbie’s second act which sees Stereotypical Barbie and Beach Ken leave the pink-brick road of Barbieland for the real world of La La Land introduces Gloria (America Ferrera) and offspring Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt), meant to serve as the emotional core the longer the film progresses. It’s through no fault of the on-screen mother/daughter duo, but as the film progresses, they end up feeling less like rounded characters (particularly Ferrera’s) and more like people who sound inorganic. It’s one thing to have thought-provoking dialogue and that “Whoa!”-type monologue, but the impact is nullified when it’s overly manufactured. Funnyman Will Ferrell makes an appearance as the Mattel CEO, and while a few of his scenes sporadically tickle the funny bone, his character’s inclusion is clunky.
Where it matters most though, Barbie’s casting is phenomenal as it pertains to its central characters. While the plastic doll may feel like it could be written for anyone, it’s hard to envision anyone but Robbie playing this part. In other performances, Barbie’s naiveté may come off as irritating, but with Robbie, it’s cute and even sympathetic. In an unforeseen way, Gosling does a lot of the heavy lifting here, hilariously toggling from patsy to protector of the patriarchy and being very unafraid of looking foolish. This is his movie as much as Robbie’s.
When thought about more, as a cohesive whole I think Barbie might read better on paper before the camera rolls action. But in the theater amongst a crowd, Barbie is a good time, as much of a spectacle as its double feature partner in Oppenheimer. And this truly feels like a movie where its success is largely stylish packaging first and then substance second.