Plastic Perfection: Ryan Gosling Steals the Show in Barbie Review

Barbie Review: A Balancing Act Between Satire and Celebration

Director Greta Gerwig’s Feminist Take

Barbie, the iconic doll that has long been a subject of debate on whether it is demeaning or empowering for girls, takes center stage in Greta Gerwig’s new film. In this bubblegum-fun-cum-feminist-thesis, Gerwig and her co-writer Noah Baumbach opt for the latter theory, presenting Barbie as a symbol of ethereal innocence. Margot Robbie’s casting as Barbie herself, with her superhuman blond beauty, seems fitting.

The Ken Factor and Self-Awareness

While Barbie‘s non-genitaled boyfriend Ken is traditionally a secondary character, Gerwig’s film flips the script. Ryan Gosling steals the show, delivering all the best lines and injecting a sense of wit and satire into the storyline. The film, however, feels the need to continually second-guess and pre-empt any potential anti-Barbie sentiment with self-aware meta-gags. These moments acknowledge the criticisms surrounding Barbie‘s conformist and oppressive persona, but also highlight the changes in the doll’s representation, including ethnic and body-image diversity. Yet, even these changes are portrayed as imperfect and tokenistic, further emphasizing the film’s self-consciousness.

A Quirky and Demure Comedy

Barbie strikes a delicate balance between comedy and self-consciousness. The film’s comedy is rooted in its inherent self-awareness, often delivering funny moments and occasionally moments that are downright hilarious. However, at times, the film feels somewhat inhibited, as if the desire to be funny is constantly restrained. Barbie itself ends up playing a relatively bland comic foil to more outrageous characters, such as the metrosexual Ken and Weird Barbie, who has been over-played-with and crayoned-over. Kate McKinnon’s portrayal of Weird Barbie adds an extra layer of humor to the mix.

Living the Barbie Dream

Barbie‘s Perfect World

Despite the film’s self-consciousness and humorous take on Barbie‘s image, Barbie is portrayed as living her best life in her perfect Barbie world. In this fantasy world, she parties with Barbies who are political leaders, supreme court judges, and Nobel laureates. The inclusion of diverse characters with different achievements and backgrounds adds a progressive touch to Barbie‘s story.

An Existential Journey

However, Barbie‘s perfect world is disrupted when she suddenly confronts the thought of dying. Together with Ken, Barbie embarks on a fish-out-of-water journey to the real world, specifically scuzzy Santa Monica. Here, they discover that Barbie‘s existential anxiety has been transmitted from Gloria, a former Barbie owner who now works as an assistant in the Mattel empire.

The Real World’s Influence

Gloria’s whip-smart and discontented daughter Sasha initially holds a critical view of Barbie. However, as the story progresses, Sasha’s opinion undergoes a somewhat predictable transformation. This is where the film consciously chooses to banish politics and focus more on Ken’s enthusiasm for male dominance in the real world. Will Ferrell’s portrayal of the Mattel CEO and chair of the all-male board adds further comedic value, and Rhea Perlman makes a cameo appearance as Ruth Handler, the creator of Barbie.

A Movie That Straddles the Line

Commercial Influence

Controversy surrounding Barbie as a commercial product is not new, and this film is no exception. While Barbie can be seen as a two-hour advertisement for the popular doll, it does not fully embrace the comedy genre as intensely as The Lego Movie. Greta Gerwig cites influences ranging from Milton to Powell and Pressburger, but the film’s real influences seem closer to Toy Story, Pinocchio, and Clueless.

Final Verdict

Barbie is an entertaining and amiable film that strikes a balance between celebration and satire. Its lightly ironized, nostalgic take on the iconic doll allows for a playful exploration of Barbie‘s legacy. Whether or not Barbie is ultimately demeaning or empowering remains a personal perspective, but Gerwig’s film offers insight into the evolving nature of Barbie‘s identity.