Barbie
It wasn't what I expected. I tried very hard to stay away from any news about it so as to go in with a completely open mind, never wanting to reflexively hate something just because I have become slightly jaded with Hollywood (...am I in the wrong industry?). But, for better or worse, Barbie as a character is fairly laden with context either way and I'm so used to the movies disappointing me, I was more than certain I was going to sit for a two hour message movie with little in the way of plot.
It isn't a movie everyone will enjoy (and it's shaping up to be some sort of La La Land litmus test). It's not a kids' movie. It's PG-13 and presents Barbie for nostalgic millennials. And honestly, I'm in that demographic and I enjoyed it. I expected to be hit over the head with political messaging (and truth be told, there is some), but was surprised with a genuine, heartfelt commentary on what it means to be a woman and finding your way in the world.
Barbie (2023) follows Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) journeying to the real world to deal with an existential crisis. However, doing so unleashes unintended consequences on Barbieland.
One of the best parts of the film is Margot Robbie's performance. I'll rank it right up there with my love for Barbie's stunning costumes and production design. Robbie's character, Stereotypical Barbie could easily be, forgive me, "stereotypical," but fortunately, there's a very real humanity to this plastic doll. Ryan Gosling as Ken is perfectly hilarious and Kate McKinnon as Weird Barbie is fantastic (and this is coming from someone who owned more than one Weird Barbie).
The direction by Greta Gerwig is truly imaginative and mostly consistent. The time spent in Barbieland is an absolute trip. Time spent in the real world is much less so, but I don't think that's just because it's framed as the antithesis to Barbieland. Next to Barbieland, the real world is unsaturated and filled with the worst of Will Ferrell (I'm trying so hard to remain a fan, but man, after the nightmare that was Holmes and Watson, it's been a struggle).
I think the contrast was the point and fair enough, but the stylized portions of Barbieland don't translate well to the real world and it's a bit jarring in its transition. Gerwig tries to bring in some whimsy to the design of Mattel headquarters in the real world, but it feels clunky and out of place. The strongest real life moments feature Stereotypical Barbie interacting with real people since the fish-out-of-water trope works quite well here.
It's true that the Barbie movie is a message movie and it knows that you know that it knows it is...For the most part, though, Barbie is also a lot of fun while it plays with irony...
It's true that the Barbie movie is a message movie and it knows that you know that it knows it is. Frankly, that sort of thing does give cringe girl power vibes after awhile, overpowering the plot and lending itself to some on-the-nose dialogue in Barbie's final act resolution. For the most part, though, Barbie is also a lot of fun while it plays with irony and I think that's what saves it in the end: a deeper understanding of the toxicity that a lack of agency in both men and women can create.
Sometimes the satire trips over itself in its effort to lay on even more satire, and sometimes it lays it on a little thick, but Barbie is more nuanced than her plastic appearance suggests. Color me surprised (and pink).*
*Now, all this being said, there is a part of me that wishes the Barbie filmmakers went some weird slasher/murder mystery route (or even straight-up zombie). I pity the marketing fool at Mattel who would license that, but, hey, a girl can dream.
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