‘Barbie’ Movie Review: Greta Gerwig Brings Playful Creativity To Barbie Land
Photo from Warner Bros. Pictures
From Jeff Nelson
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is one of the hottest movies of the summer, pairing an entertaining narrative with a pitch-perfect cast. Mattel’s Barbie is a symbol that represents much more than a doll to countless people around the world, which translates into the deeply innovative screenplay Gerwig co-wrote along with her partner, Noah Baumbach.
Barbie (Margot Robbie) lives in the utopian Barbie Land, where all Barbies live fulfilling lives, empowering young girls in the real world to make them believe in themselves. Meanwhile, Ken (Ryan Gosling) persistently yearns for Barbie’s attention, which isn’t ever reciprocated in the way that he hopes.
The original Barbie doll’s world shatters when she suddenly encounters self-doubt and a crippling fear of change, setting her on a journey into the real world to find the girl playing with her that’s causing her resulting downward spiral. Barbie and Ken’s entire perspective on both worlds change in ways that will alter the fate of Barbie Land forever.
As a massive toy line at Mattel, Barbie ran the risk of being more of an excuse to sell more dolls and other merchandise than a compelling film. No doubt, the company has its money-making motives here, which the film itself occasionally pokes fun at. However, Gerwig finds sincere pathos in what the doll represents in all of its various iterations and how our imaginations mirror the state of the real world, making Barbie so much more than a product or an idea. She’s a reflection of us as a society, for better or worse.
Gerwig and Baumbach’s quirky sense of humor thrives here, swiftly moving between physical and situational comedy. Some of it calls to their indie roots, using it as a weapon against patriarchy, sexism, and stereotypical gender roles. It’s silly and over-the-top, but it’s also smart and pointed with a message that resonates. Gerwig understands how to balance comedy and drama, demonstrating her ability to carry her authenticity into the world of major studio fare.
Barbie doesn’t quite leap off the screen in the real world in the same way it does in Barbie Land. The laughs are still there, but its narrative direction left me desperately wanting to further explore the toy land instead. The human characters serve their purpose, although their emotional stakes don’t resonate quite as well as the dolls’ that mirror them.
Robbie makes the perfect Barbie, capturing the classic iteration of the doll’s look but more importantly, bringing range to the role that makes the character sing. She rolls with the comedic punches and lands the character’s emotional moments. However, there’s no denying that Gosling’s Ken steals the show. He embraces the ridiculousness, showing the world another side of his inherent star quality.
Production designer Sarah Greenwood and set decorator Katie Spencer turn in impeccable work in making Barbie Land so thoroughly detailed and vibrant. Costume designer Jacqueline Durran’s outfits further bring the Barbies and Kens to life in the blurring of the lines between the fantastical and the real world.
Barbie is a pink-soaked summer bash that invites you to indulge in Gerwig’s creative extravaganza, and it’s a party well worth attending. It’s funny, empathetic, and visually arresting. Gerwig’s love for cinema is clear in the inspirations at play and her feminist perspective is resounding.
Rating: 4/5
Barbie hits theaters on July 21st, 2023.
