This review is spoiler free.
“Barbie,” directed by Greta Gerwig (“Lady Bird,” “Little Women”) and written by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach (“Marriage Story,” “White Noise”), follows Barbie (Margot Robbie) as she slowly notices her perfect world crumbling. Searching for her owner, the titular doll is thrust into the real world to restore her normal life.
Barbie and Ken jump from plastic packages to reality via actors Robbie and Ryan Gosling. The duo basks in the limelight while giving each other space to shine in solo moments. Robbie expertly portrays Barbie as the Mattel golden girl, with charm and positivity in every line of dialogue, even as the character devolves into an existential crisis when meeting people in the real world.
Meanwhile, Gosling plays Ken to his fullest ‘himbo’ glory, with his obsession with Barbie driving his life until he faces the reality of his identity. Backed by a fantastic cast of other Barbies and Kens played by Kate McKinnon, Simu Liu, Alexandra Shipp, Hari Nef and more, the leading duo creates a dynamic ensemble and brings the film’s whimsical scenery to life. Michael Cera, the king of awkward yet endearing characters, even appears as Ken’s best friend, Allan.
Gerwig continues to solidify her position as one of the great directors of this era; she put much care into both “Barbie’s” writing and its tonal and thematic direction. Leaning into quick and blunt comedy, she utilizes her typical directorial style and cherry-picks music during important sequences — a trend seen in her other comedies like “Lady Bird.” Gerwig takes an even bigger swing by embracing campy visuals and meta-commentary but maintains her unique voice among the shades of pinks and sparkles.
Comedic frenzy and thematic exploration of femininity, patriarchy and self-expression blend spectacularly throughout “Barbie’s” runtime. Rather than punchy jokes abruptly becoming emotional monologues, comedic beats subtly lead to deeper discussions about the human world. When Barbie first enters the real world, jabs at the depressing nature of the real world when compared to Barbie Land slowly give way to the memories and human emotions of Barbie’s original owner.
Gerwig explores the effects of the Barbie brand while poking fun at patriarchy and toxic masculinity, such as a scene where Ken assumes he can find work in the real world simply because he is a man. Ken also learns to mansplain to impress the Barbies around him, another humorous jab at the toxic tendencies of masculinity. Much like the Barbie toys, “Barbie” encourages viewers to ignore the societal structures that put them in boxes by exploring Barbie’s experiences in the real world and highlighting the rocky relationship between a mother and daughter duo (America Ferrera and Ariana Greenblatt).
A fantastic romp into the fictitious world of Mattel’s iconic toy brand, “Barbie” balances hilarity and social commentary to make for an engaging and thought-provoking experience. Led by Gerwig, the film simultaneously entertains and compels introspection. Coupled with an excellent cast starring Robbie and Gosling, audiences will have the time of their lives in one of the most impressive films to grace the silver screen this year. The ‘Barbenheimer’ hype is real, and “Barbie” certainly delivers a dream.
4 ½ Dreamhouses out of 5
