Movie Review - Barbie

Director: Greta Gerwig
Genre: Adventure/ Comedy/ Fantasy
Runtime: 114 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, Michal Cera, Kate McKinnon, America Ferrara, Helen Mirren
 
Description: Barbie (Margot Robbie) suffers a crisis that leads her to question her world and her existence.

Review: Most movie trailers show the entire movie in a brief moment. The makers of “Barbie” understood that the first half hour contains enough material to use only its footage to pique the audience’s interest. What follows after that is probably a surprise. For some a disappointment, because they got something completely different as the trailer showed us. To me it was a much wanted delight.

Stereotypical Barbie lives with all the other Barbies and Kens (and Allan) in Barbieland where everything is perfect and women have finally won an equal place in the world. One day Barbie suddenly feels a little less cheerful. She learns that this is because the girl who plays with her in the real human world apparently no longer feels happy either. Barbie travels to the real world to fix it, but that turns her world upside down even more.

People learn their lessons best when they are felt from within. Barbie is a mirror for a major problem in society that many people do not even see in its completeness because it is so deeply rooted.

We are introduced to Barbie by the use of a voice over and a wink to the classic sci-fi film “2001: A Space Odyssey”. Helen Mirren narrates and tells us how life works in Barbieland. Next we hear a song by Lizzo, twice in fact: once to describe Barbie’s daily life and then again to depict how, for the first time, things are not going so well. Real people live in the real world and think Barbie’s are just dolls, but there is a hidden reality where Barbies live, enjoying themselves in their own little paradise.

The start of the film, in Barbieland, is very cheesy and over-the-top, just like Barbie is. When Barbie enters the real world, everything is new and she notices the difference between what is normal in her little world and the real one.

The interaction between Barbie and Ken and the people in the real world is hilarious. It doesn’t rhyme with their worldview and they speak about this openly and literally. The mystery of who is behind Barbie’s growing depression is quickly solved; cleverly thought out, because this is not what it’s about anyway.

What follows is razor-sharp criticism of us and society, told in a childlike, naïve way. Barbie speaks up  simplistically and directly; no one will be able to claim that the message is not clear. A certain norm in our society is so standardized that even those who are against it still partially go along with it.

Because the film is so incredibly upbeat and colorful, it never feels pedantic or preachy. The jokes keep coming, Barbieland’s sets are impressive. This is not a woman’s movie, anyone can have a great time with this adventure. But it’s definitely not for children, it will go way over their heads.

Even though the Ken-song towards the end feels a bit out of tune with the rest of the film, I couldn’t help but smile from start to finish. It’s been living rent-free in my head ever since.

 
Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling were perfectly cast for their respective roles. America Ferrara was a pleasant surprise, her character’s monologue was my favorite moment of the film. And Michael Cera as Allan was just too funny. I think he was my favorite character.

That “Barbie” would be a fun film was to be expected, but it’s a very good movie with a strong, clear message and substantive comedy. Fans of Barbie who were expecting a fun, simple, bubbly Barbie adventure in her dreamhouse, will probably be disappointed. This film has way more substance and layers.

Rating: 4,5/ 5