Barbie

A group of young girls are playing with baby dolls. The toys are plump and round like newborns, and the girls ostensibly pretend to be their mothers. Suddenly a statuesque and shapely poseable figure in a bikini looms large in the distance like a monolith. The girls are inspired to smash their current playthings against the rocks as if reawakened. Richard Strauss’ tone poem “Also Sprach Zarathustra” underscores the event. Classic sci-fi film fans will recognize this as a parody of 2001: A Space Odyssey. It’s a keen intro because it wisely sets the tone as a social satire. It’s aimed at people who haven’t picked up a Barbie in years. Note: the picture is rated PG-13 for suggestive references and brief language.

So Margot Robbie is specifically portraying what they call Stereotypical Barbie. She lives in Barbieland, and every day is perfect. She wakes up with flawless hair and fresh breath. The shower water (which is imaginary) is the ideal temperature. Her heart-shaped bread is nicely toasted and pops right onto her plate. She is happy and fulfilled. Then one day, she has an existential crisis and starts thinking about death. When she wakes up the next day, everything is a little off. Concerned, she ventures to see the one they call Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon). This apparent guru explains there is a connection between what the owners do with their dolls in the real world and what happens to them in Barbieland. So Stereotypical Barbie decides to travel to the land of humans and cheer up the girl (Ariana Greenblatt) playing with her. And, of course, Ken (Ryan Gosling) goes along for the ride.

The first thing I have to applaud is the overall aesthetic. It’s outstanding. Production designer Sarah Greenwood and set decorator Katie Spencer have fully realized Barblie’s world through a fantastic hyper-stylized vision of pink houses, cars, and furniture. They put a lot of thought into this, and it’s mind-blowing. Many times throughout, I constantly marveled at how dazzling the scene looked. An Oscar nomination for Best Production Design is a sure thing, and I predict a win at this point. I’ll also mention the cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto, which artistically highlights all of their work.

The story blends light comedy and heavy satire, full of social commentary. Barbie is depicted as many individuals in her land. She’s an everywoman, representing women with different careers, ethnicities, and even body types. In Barbieland, women (Issa Rae, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey) are in charge. Meanwhile, the Kens (Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Scott Evans, Ncuti Gatwa) don’t do much of anything. Oops! That includes Allan (Michael Cera). I almost forgot about him. However, when Barbie arrives in our contemporary era, she discovers that those roles are much different.

Director Greta Gerwig’s screenplay, co-written with Noah Baumbach, addresses adult themes. Expect a discussion of concepts like the battle of the sexes, gender, patriarchy…and (surprise) matriarchy. Most are delivered in a lighthearted tone, but it gets a bit didactic occasionally. All the top positions at the Mattel Corporation, including the CEO (Will Ferrell), are conspicuously held by men. The highest-ranking woman Gloria (America Ferrera), is merely an assistant to the chief executive. Some quips are more sanctimonious than funny. A lowly male office worker asks, “I’m a man with no power. Does that make me a woman?”

The saving grace of the story is actor Ryan Gosling. Oh, Margot Robbie is superbly cast, and she is indeed captivating. However, the Ken-ergy is real. Their road trip to the real world has an unexpected effect. The clever twist is that Ken now feels galvanized. For the first time, people start to pay attention to him. This positively affects his self-worth. I laughed the hardest at whatever Ken said and did because those were the lightest moments. His journey of self-discovery injects a sweet naiveté into the atmosphere. When Ken plays the guitar to romance Barbie, it’s hilarious. Gosling sings a Broadway-style song entitled “I’m Just Ken” near the end. “Doesn’t seem to matter what I do. I’m always number two,” he croons. The ditty is rather poignant. Also, a choreographed dance-off featuring all of the Kens is an impressive routine that recalls a 1950s musical. I realize the movie is called Barbie, but Ryan Gosling steals the show.

07-20-23