My dear reader(s): Yesterday I finally had an opportunity to catch up with the year's most talked-about movie, Barbie.
Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.
Barbie suffers a crisis and must brave a world outside Barbieland if she hopes to resolve it.
At this point, it feels like poor form to dislike Barbie. Fortunately, I liked it well enough, even if if I'm more "enheimer" than "Barb" in the Barbenheimer sweepstakes.
Pluses start with the divine Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken. Despite its many other attributes, I believe the movie would have fallen flat had they not leaned into their roles with such gusto. Vibrant costumes and sets team with upbeat music to sell a perfect world...even when it isn't. There's plenty of nostalgia for those of us who loved our Barbies, and some funny (if mean-spirited) digs at other pop culture icons who have fallen into...if not exactly disfavor, at least a perceived lack of coolness.
Barbie is a great deal more than a film about a doll. It's cleverly written and well acted, with an important message about autonomy and empowerment. Heavy-handed delivery of its message is the picture's only real flaw, but it's a pervasive one that kept me from loving Barbie as much as everyone else seemed to. I don't believe beating people over the head with a point faciliates real change; it only makes them tired of hearing about it, and by the end of this I was pretty tired of the word "patriarchy." Still, Barbie is a solid movie that's greatly enhanced by sparkling performances and a sensible runtime.
Barbie clocks in at 114 minutes and is rated PG13 for "suggestive references and brief language."
Barbie is a good movie made great by stellar lead performances, and any shortcomings are easily forgiven once the Indigo Girls start singing. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Barbie gets eight.
Fangirl Points: Kingsley Ben-Adir!
Barbie is now streaming on Max.
Until next time...
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