Rating: 9.4
I say this without a shred of irony; Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is undoubtedly the film we so desperately need right now. This movie is pure joy. A perfect mix of existentialism, heartfelt and important social-commentary and unapologetic silliness. Margot Robbie is beyond perfect, and Ryan Gosling steals the show! This is the most fun I’ve had at a movie in a long time — and yet thanks to Gerwig’s incredible script it also manages to be very a profound exploration of feminism, existentialism, the patriarchy and masculinity all packaged in a satirical musical comedy homage to the fabric of cinema. This is the movie of our time. An endlessly creative and fun film with so much meaning woven into it.
Film Info:
Premise: Barbie and Ken are having the time of their lives in the colorful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land. However, when they get a chance to go to the real world, they soon discover the joys and perils of living among humans.
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Warner Bros
Directed by Greta Gerwig
Written by Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach
Cast: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt, Simu Liu, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, Will Ferrell, Helen Mirren, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey, Kingsley Ben-Adir
Runtime: 1hr 54min
Rating: PG
Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
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IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
RT Audience Score: 87%
RT Critic Average: 8.1/10
RT Audience Average: 4.4/5
Metacritic Score: 80
CinemaScore: A
Letterboxd: 4.2/5
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Fun Fact: According to Ryan Gosling, he accepted the role of Ken after seeing his daughter's Ken doll lying face down in the mud next to a squished lemon. He then took a shot of the doll and lemon and sent it to Greta Gerwig, saying, "I shall be your Ken, his story must be told."
Review:
written by Tyler Park
additional writing by Zoë Gatz
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labour of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.
I say this without a shred of irony; Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is undoubtedly the film we so desperately need right now. This is the movie of our time — a film that shows us what life and society are like now, as well as shows us how we can do better. Plus, the movie is pure joy! It’s a perfect mix of existentialism, heartfelt and important social-commentary and unapologetic silliness. This is the most fun I’ve had at a movie in a long time — and yet thanks to Gerwig’s incredible script it also manages to be very a profound exploration of feminism, existentialism, the patriarchy, and masculinity all packaged in a satirical musical comedy homage to the fabric of cinema.
This movie is so hard for me to review… because it’s just SO GOOD! Like oh my god go see it right now, it’s incredible, important, and so much fun! Genuinely, it’s the most fun I’ve had at a movie in a long time — it’s filled with pure joy and hope! Barbie exceeded all my expectations and completely lives up to the hype surrounding it! Honestly, it’s pretty much a perfect film! I had a freaking blast with the movie - I loved everything it did! It’s pretty much the funnest movie ever!
As I write this review and reflect on the film, I had the sudden urge to revisit Greta Gerwig’s breakout directorial effort; Lady Bird, and was struck by how strong and unique a voice Gerwig has as a filmmaker. Having seen her take on Little Women and now Barbie, I can easily say she is one of the most interesting and talented filmmakers working today! I’m super impressed with Gerwig as a filmmaker — all her movies are completely different and she has avoided being placed in a box. The film industry wants you to do what they know you can do very well — it wants to place filmmakers in a box, labeling someone as only a horror filmmaker, another who only does comedies, etc. Because of her ability to do LOTS of different things very well, she has been able to avoid being labeled as only one thing, making her one of the most interesting filmmakers working today. She has shown herself to be very versatile — truly on the level of Spielberg. She’s easily one of the greatest of her generation. I also really love how she isn’t afraid to tackle complex social issues in her films, and she somehow always manages to find really profound and interesting ways to communicate her messages. She blends social commentary with story to the point that a scene can be both emotional and profound while also hilarious and entertaining at the same time! Gerwig is also a very economical, smart storyteller — every shot, action, and line of dialogue tells us something about character or story, nothing is wasted! Plus, Gerwig seems to be endlessly creative and really commits to her visions. I’ve become a huge fan of Gerwig’s work and Barbie has just solidified my love for her as a filmmaker!
Greta Gerwig’s work in Barbie is the literal definition of innovative and insightful direction with an actual authentic voice and vision to back it up. If the movie is honoured, she better come along with it. It all starts with her, and in anyone else’s hands, it all falls flat. What could’ve been a soulless, superficial cash grab becomes something so singular, subversive, and stirring. No one could make this movie like her. She IS the movie.
The secret weapon of Barbie is that magic ability Gerwig has as a writer and director to strike such a perfect balance between message and entertainment, which is something that is incredibly hard to do! Don’t expect this film to be just another toy brand adaptation like the Transformers films, this is not forgettable, mindless entertainment. Barbie is trying to teach us something and has lessons that people need to hear. The commentary isn’t heavy-handed or forced at all, it feels natural and, in fact, the way they comment on gender roles, masculinity and femininity, and the stereotypes of those is a lot of fun while also making you think! Like the best comedies, it is able to layer in commentary to all of the humour — the film has a really healthy sense of humour for all the themes it is exploring! I just absolutely love that in a given scene I could be laughing so hard, and yet also really engaging with the thematic and emotional material in that same scene to the extent that I did. Scenes would be both really funny and yet deep and insightful at the same time; it’s very rare a film with this strong a message is this entertaining! My god Greta Gerwig is a master! Even the humour was so well done — it was so unexpected and willing to do anything! I loved it! It was a combination of both high and low-brow humour; I loved the goofiness and the slapstick elements to it, but also really loved that it managed to balance this over-the-top humour with really clever wordplay and more subtle, dryly delivered dialogue! And the fact it never took away from the seriousness or importance of a scene was just stunning to me! You can really tell Gerwig and Noah Baumbach had a lot of fun writing this one — and I’m amazed Mattel and Warner Bros allowed them to get away with some of the things they did!
Though Barbie is largely silly and satirical (and yes, a “studio movie”), there are so many moments where Greta Gerwig’s singular style shines and it takes your breath away - one of the most unforgettable moments in the film is Barbie on the bench, experiencing every human emotion for the first time. (You’ll know it when you see it.) I think scenes like this show that, while Barbie does have a lot to say about womanhood and coming-of-age as a woman in a complicated and contradictory world, it’s ultimately just as much about what it means to be alive and be a human in general. And no one is excluded from that. (Men, I’m looking at you.)
I know a lot of guys might not think they are part of the target audience for the film. But trust me, I’m a guy, and I LOVED it. I connected with so many of the themes and loved getting to see my girlfriend connect with even more of them. This movie is for everyone. Sure, women will identify with it in some areas a lot more than others will, but there is much to offer for everyone else. This movie is a film everyone needs to see, and everyone would enjoy it if they gave it a chance! Trust me, go in with an open mind and I promise you won’t be disappointed.
The film tells a really moving story about what it means to be a woman in today’s world, and you really don’t have to be a woman to be moved by it! The screenplay and themes are so well done and get better and better as the film goes on as the deeper layers begin to reveal themselves. It’s truly beautiful and so heartfelt — there is so much love in this movie for women and mothers! And really when it comes down to it, this is pretty much a story about finding yourself. It’s about gender roles in society and the societal construct and expression of those roles. It’s about how we cope and exist with models, role models, and other influences in society. It’s a breakdown of Barbie (the doll) — what she did for the world that was both good and bad, and how she could possibly help it moving forward. Gerwig wasn’t afraid to rip apart the way in which Barbie is an outdated concept and represents the worst of what we think gender means, such as how it has negatively influenced body image standards for women. Gerwig also ponders the extent that the legacy of Barbie has contributed to or detracted from feminist movements — has Barbie empowered women or instead created outdated stereotypes? Greta Gerwig almost did too good of a job for Mattel! I can’t believe Mattel agreed to this, it very much critiques them and Barbie at times. It’s just such a smart movie and manages to cover all these topics and themes in such a natural and entertaining way without ever feeling forced!
And oh my god! America Ferrera has such a powerful monologue in the film about how women have to try to navigate society and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since I saw the film. It's one of the most profound pieces of writing I’ve seen in quite a while and it's delivered beautifully. Probably the part of the movie that’s stuck with me the most since watching it. It’s sending an important message to the audience while also allowing the film’s narrative to move forward smoothly and efficiently. And I can’t even imagine how much it will mean to all the women and girls who see the film — I know it really meant a lot to my girlfriend and has allowed many women to feel seen! America Ferrera is the film’s beating heart and luminous soul, she gives such a genuinely moving performance and a show-stopping monologue that had the audience applauding. No one can write a monologue like Greta Gerwig!
As I said, the film meant a lot to my girlfriend, and I wanted to include these thoughts she had after we saw it, as I think it really shows how truly important the message of this film is:
Barbie is a movie about growing up and realizing womanhood isn’t all pink, pleasure, and possibility. Realizing that much of the world will hate you - always - no matter what you do, simply because of who you are. Realizing that there comes a point when you either have to accept complacency within the patriarchy, or ostracization and vilification outside of it.
Or, maybe there’s another way. Maybe womanhood isn’t all the fun and freedom dreamed up in youth, but maybe we don’t have to abandon it entirely either. Maybe, just maybe, once we accept and begrudgingly embrace the often brutal reality of our everyday existence - while still retaining our inner strength at the same time - we can better reconcile all these cultural complications and contradictions and find a way to move through the world cautiously, but authentically. Revelling in our - and the world’s - flaws instead of willfully overlooking them in favour of the fantasy.
Barbie is just such a smart movie, it actually has a lot to process and think about! Again, I love the tonal balance this movie strikes, and the miracle of it is that I was able to take all the themes just as seriously while laughing lots. And despite what some people online are saying, the man-hating allegations towards this film are completely false. Gerwig clearly makes the point that the Kens in Barbie World, under the matriarchy, are unable to find and forge identities for themselves and must rely on women for their self-worth, and that this is bad. Ken’s awakening is realizing a world can exist where his male identity can prosper; being affirmed in his masculinity is what sets him free. The film views gender as a tool to understand who you are. Seeing male role models and empowered male figures makes him want better for himself. But the film recognizes that worshipping and enforcing those standards can be harmful because they are unrealistic to live up to. The Barbies have their own unrealistic standards of beauty that ostracize people in their community like Weird Barbie. Just like with the Kens, what empowers Barbies (seeing themselves as powerful and perfect) causes problems in their own world.
The film clearly argues that any gender holding a disproportionate amount of power is an issue. Some people want Barbie to be about men vs women and that’s not what the movie is about at all. It’s about the freedom to be masculine and feminine and how the need of society to put us into these limited boxes is the true enemy. It has no double standards about masculinity or femininity. When it satirizes masculinity, it shows men asserting power over the opposite gender (like playing guitar AT Barbie rather than FOR her). But it doesn’t imply an inherent link between masculinity and power. The film recognizes how gender can be empowering for self-discovery, and also how it can hold us back. I think it is possible for men to come away from this movie feeling empowered in their masculinity — the film goes out of its way to show how toxic masculinity is damaging for men and that they don’t need to be what society expects of them. It literally shows that the patriarchy harms both men and women and the conclusion for Ken's character is that he is enough just as he is, he doesn't have to pretend to be a big macho guy nor does he have to depend on Barbie, he's just Ken. People who say the film is man-hating are deliberately misinterpreting the movie so they can cry woke or just don't know how to properly interpret it. Heck, the jokes about men are all pure fun and not mean-spirited at all — I actually found they allowed for some interesting satire and reflection!
The movie excellently uses role reversal, flipping the idea of classical 1950s gender roles in society in Barbie World, allowing men to “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes”. Men get to see how women have long felt with the flipping of these gender roles in the film, from how women have seen themselves portrayed in media and pop culture for so many years, to (more importantly) seeing how women view themselves in this world that seems to constantly push them down. I think it could be very enlightening for many guys, and allow for many women to feel seen and understood. Despite covering lots of flaws in modern society, the movie does end on quite an optimistic note — puts up a very solid vision of what the world should be like. I love the idea that the movie overall wants everyone to be happy — both men and women have feelings, and both deserve to be heard and live their best life.
And of course, the technical aspects here are amazing, from production design to costuming, editing, soundtrack, and cinematography! The film is pure eye candy - it’s bright, vivid and colourful! Interestingly enough, the cinematography is invisible and doesn’t try to draw attention to itself, but the way they shot and lit the film really was brilliant! The costumes were also remarkable, but the true star of the film was the production design. The sets pay homage to old Hollywood productions and have so many details that match the toy. They even went as far as to get the correct proportions of sizing between the dolls and dollhouses to match that proportion for the sets to the actors! There are so many other cool details and easter eggs to the sets and costumes, and they use so many awesome visual gags throughout!
Despite a very clever fourth wall-breaking joke from the narrator in the film, Margot Robbie is perfect as Barbie, she was born for this role! And I’m not even surprised! Right from the moment she seemed cast I knew this would be a home run for her! Still, she managed to exceed my expectations and really showcased her talent. She really elicits such a wide range of emotions in the film — there’s a scene where Barbie is feeling a range of human emotions for the first time and just the expressions and emotions on Robbie’s face were enough to communicate everything you needed to know and feel for that scene. It was such a powerful performance.
Ryan Gosling gave one of the most memorable comedic performances I’ve ever seen in this film! I couldn’t imagine any other actor delivering this performance the way he does. He really brought the Energy and fully committed to the role in such an amazing way — he is hilarious with great physical comedy, comedic timing, dialogue, and line delivery! I just loved the self-aware overacting, the way he delivers a line is just so unserious and yet perfect for the scene every single time! Gosling was perfect as Ken and a definite standout for me! Plus, the show-stopping musical number “I’m Just Ken” was one of the high points of the film for me! Gosling + musical numbers = Tyler loving the film!
Some other standouts in the incredible cast have to be Michael Cera who stole every scene he was in, America Ferrera who was amazing and the beating heart of the film, absolutely nailing her emotional and poignant monologue in the film, and I really thought Simu Liu and Kate McKinnon were perfect in their small roles!
It’s so insane this movie actually exists and turned out fantastic! Barbie is so thought-provoking and interesting while being so much fun! Everything in the film is very funny but also strikes an emotional chord that leaves such an impact! It’s such a singular experience — no movie will ever be like this again — the studios will try to replicate it but it will never work as well as this. The only reason this film works as perfectly as it does is Greta Gerwig. This is her vision and without her, this would’ve just been another lifeless studio film that we’ve seen a million times before. This film will empower many different women around the world, especially the next generation of young girls! This is the movie of our time. An endlessly beautiful, creative, and fun masterpiece from Greta Gerwig with so much meaning woven into it. I LOVED IT!
So, to wrap this all up, here are a few other thoughts written by my girlfriend, Zoë Gatz, who loved the movie even more than I did!
Barbie is the most real movie I’ve ever seen. Greta Gerwig has every perspective down pat and portrays them in such a real and honest way. Women always being lesser than men and having all these contradicting standards set for us so that we are never good enough for any setting, even the ones we are told we have to be the best in. Men feeling like they have to be the manliest guy in the group in order to keep themselves afloat and turning everything into a competition.
The feelings that Barbie provokes are so raw and repressed not only for women but also for men. Any person that tells you Barbie is an attack on men just wants to be heard. Ken is much more than a representation of patriarchy, he’s a representation of boys and men everywhere that feel they aren’t good enough so they need to make themselves stand out and be big bosses and “bros”.
The monologue from America Ferrera had me and all of the girls I watched with or talked to about it with in tears. It was well written, well acted, and given in a wonderful context during the movie. It was heartbreaking. Not only because it was well acted or written, but because it is fully true. The intensity of emotions that most women feel when watching this movie is overwhelming and creates such an awareness of so many things that happen in our lives and others no matter who they are. We all face these same suppressing factors and it’s like a punch to the gut seeing a doll, a mere portrayal of women, going through all of this too. It really makes you realize, and it hurts.
Barbie is a must-see for women and Kens alike. It shows every side and it is wonderfully done. Another huge win for Greta Gerwig as a director. I just hope the industry doesn’t take this experience the wrong way and make a series or other real-life “toy movies” that try to do the same thing — they would be missing the point of why this movie was received so well. This was original, beautiful, and a masterpiece on its own.
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