MOVIE OF THE WEEK (7/21/23): BARBIE
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| "Where's Allan and Skipper? Oh don't worry - they're around!" Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) as seen in the official poster for director/co-writer Greta Gerwig's comedy/drama/musical BARBIE. © 2023 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved. |
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:
DIRECTOR: Greta Gerwig
WEB SITE: https://www.barbie-themovie.com/
THE BACK STORY: Inspired by the iconic doll of the same name, Barbie stars Margot Robbie in the titular role as a stereotypical Barbie doll living in Barbieland. She is stereotypical in that she walks with arched feet perfect for her high heels, every day is the best day ever and she spends most of her time hanging out with her fellow Barbies like President Barbie (Issa Rae), Mermaid Barbie (Dua Lipa) and other more career-minded versions of herself. Also propagating Barbieland are the Kens, including her boyfriend (Ryan Gosling) and his top rival (Simu Liu). There's also Ken's sidekick Allan (Michael Cera), but no one pays any attention to him.
Things start to take a turn for our golden girl, however, when she begins having thoughts about death and her feet flatten out unexpectedly. This leads her to seek out the wisdom of the abused but resilient Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon), who explains what's happening: A very sad girl in the real world – yes, the Barbies know there is a difference between them and humans – is playing with her and altering her existence in Barbieland. Thus, she must travel the mystical space from Barbieland to the real world and help make her sad real world owner happy again.
Also tagging along for the ride? Well, her boyfriend Ken of course. Arriving in Los Angeles, Barbie and Ken discover that real world is nothing like either of them thought ... Which leads to some very precarious situations. And once the head of Mattel (Will Ferrell) finds out, the desire to literally put stereotypical Barbie back in her box becomes paramount.
But how do a simple receptionist (America Ferrera) and her estranged daughter (Ariana Greenblatt) fit into helping Barbie get back home, restore Barbieland and prevent a potential disaster that could alter both of their worlds forever? You'll have to watch the movie to find out!
THE REVIEW: How do you take a beloved yet controversial children's toy and make a two-hour opus of comedy, music and drama that is funny, poignant and – dare it be said – inspiring? You do what director/co-writer Greta Gerwig and her script partner Noah Baumbach have done with BARBIE.
Barbie – which is probably best left in the viewing pleasure of those 16 and up so they can catch all the cultural references and homages to decades of the character's history – features a perfect mix of self-awareness, irreverence and heart. With Robbie and Gosling leading the way under Gerwig's watchful eye, the film acknowledges all of the factors that have made her a staple of many children's childhood while at the same time having fun with all of the things it has been criticized for throughout its history.
The twist, however, is that while it acknowledges those flaws, the film uses them as opportunity to talk about change in a way that shows how BARBIE is really just a reflection of the society in which she exists. This leads to moments of self-discovery for Barbie (and thus the audience), realization and empowerment in a way that genuinely may lead to inspire women of all ages.
That being said, the BARBIE experience is a phenomenal ride of comedy, music and sentiment thanks to the aforementioned stellar performances of Robbie, Gosling and their cast mates. The skill with which they bring their characters – none of whom are exactly known for their verbal history – to life is a masterclass in acting. Whereas Robbie gets to look pretty (she is Barbie, after all), she brings a score of humanity to a toy that has been criticized for the plastic nature – pun intended – of her supposed existence and affect on little girls worldwide.
This in turn makes her journey of self-discovery one that is not about a toy, but coming to grips with reality and finding your place in the world in which you live. That, of course, is just one of the messages that is delivered without being preachy or forced, making the film's rather dramatic final 40 minutes a perfect compliment to the lighthearted 80 that precedes it.
Gosling's performance is pretty much everything you could want out of playing the most famous fake boyfriend of all-time. Aloof and goofy to perfection while showing his character's desire to just be respected, it feels like Gosling is channeling Terry Crews' President Camacho from Idiocracy (which sadly feels more like a documentary than comedy at this point) with his comedic timing. His singing, dancing and rivalry moments with Liu's character are just as outstanding, proving that his La La Land work wasn't just a fling.
The same can be said for the rest of the cast, be it Cera's perfect "This is what Michael Cera excels at" turn as all-around good guy Allan or Rae's encapsulation of President Barbie. Whereas McKinnon's excellent portrayal as the Barbie little girls mangle is hits every beat about the reality of what being a Barbie can be, Ferrell's portrayal as a man who profits off of a woman's idea but is (mostly) self-aware of it are both uproarious. Add Ferrera's and Rhea Pearlman's characters to the mix as older, wiser women who know just how special Barbie can be and it's easy to understand how she became an iconic figure long before she hit the big screen.
Performances aside, there are just so many details that Gerwig places into the film that significantly impact the audience's enjoyment of the film in a positive way. This includes everything from a masterful use of Barbie's signature color palette to life-size constructions of notable toys and wardrobes to breaking the fourth wall and playing on the idea of what would Barbie really say and do if she were alive. From "what did they just say?!" moments to homages to classic Barbie fare, the film never really misses anytime it swings since the cast and crew are all committed.
Make no mistake: In the wrong hands or with a different vision, BARBIE could easily become a mess of a film that feels cartoonish, a half-baked money grab or just unnecessary. Instead, Mattel's ability to step back and allow Gerwig and company to virtually have no limits on their creativity has created a film that will likely be viewed as classic as the doll that inspired it.
In short, BARBIE features a girl living in a Barbie world - and we would all be better off if we could live in it, too.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
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