Come on Barbie
And so begins one of the most hotly anticipated movie events of the Summer with the start of Barbenheimer. I chose to see Barbie first. Barbie is directed by Greta Gerwig and features an all star cast lead by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. If you are familiar with Gerwig’s previous works such as the excellent Lady Bird and Little Women, then you know the kind of movie that you are getting into. Most audiences walking into Barbie may think the film will just be a live action recreation of the childish cartoons from the early 2000’s and be a fun film for kids. That is definitely not the case. Barbie is actually an intricate discussion about the impact of the Barbie doll on culture and particularly on feminity. While it does have standout moments of humor and fun, it is also a film that explores what makes someone human, the mix of emotions that people go through in life, and the complexities that plague our culture today. It’s a film that really works on those fronts, but be aware of what you’re getting yourself into.
Barbie and Ken are having the time of their lives in the colorful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land. However, when they get a chance to go to the real world, they soon discover the joys and perils of living among humans.
The idea of characters from an outside world coming and experiencing our world is a tried and true story beat that has been done countless times. What’s refreshing about the Barbie film is that we spend sometime with our characters in their “Barbieland”, sometime in the real world, but then based on the experiences they had in the real world we see how it impacts “Barbieland”. That last part is something we don’t quite see as filmmakers are adamant to keep it grounded in the real world. Both Barbie and Ken go through significant character arcs as a result as we see their idyllic lifestyle, matched with the harsh realities of the real world, but then to see how that influences the culture and operations of their home is an extra added layer that I appreciated.
Both Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling do an excellent job in this film. This is Robbie’s film and she portrays the naïve optimism of Barbie beautifully in the first half while presenting her with the challenges of being human in the latter half. The growth she goes through in the film is quite surprising, but nevertheless provides a compelling character arc. Gosling supplements this well with a humorous and deconstructing look at Ken who is exposed to a multitude of things that he believes will positively change the world. He also arguably has one of the best scenes in the film with a song that I won’t spoil here. Both leads do a great job at portraying the roles they were written and bringing something fresh.
Let it be known that this is not your typically Barbie and the Nutcracker kind of film. This is a social commentary on the intricacies of our society and how that has impacted women. The film isn’t trying to be subtle in its message as it blatantly both celebrates the Barbie doll but also its apparent contradictions and perceived negative impact. Most of the commentary could go over kids heads, but those expecting a pink dollhouse blowout party should be warned that this is not the film you signed up. It is first and foremost a social commentary and secondarily a Barbie movie so be warned.
Regardless, the movie does have its fun moments especially as it pokes fun at previous Barbie dolls (poor Alan), Ken learning about horses, Barbie interacting with the CEO of Mattel, and other small jokes. The script is pretty funny and well paced to keep the movie flying along that I never felt the runtime. It’s also smart in its storytelling and how it weaves different elements together. It provides both a humorous and thought provoking journey.
Above all, I would want you to know that this movie may not be for everyone. Those expecting a pink explosion extravaganza will get that in the first 15 minutes, but then are in for an exploration of men and women as currently perceived in society. Some people enjoy social commentary and some prefer more escapsim. There is fun to be had in this film and I certainly did have some. I will recommend the film depending on the type of audience member you are and probably urge you to form your own opinion.
(B) Barbie Girl in a Barbie World
Raj Reviews 