Review: Barbie

Robbie as Barbie in her perfect Barbieland world

I was really keen to watch the box-office blowout sensation Barbie, with the hype around it. Most people seemed to enjoy the film starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, but perhaps I was expecting too much?

It's an interesting take on the Mattel doll, setting the scene at the beginning to explain that previously girls only had baby dolls to play with, and so they were forced to role play being a mother and who wants to do that? (ask your mother, says narrator Helen Mirren).

And so the introduction of Barbie changed all of that, empowering girls everywhere that they could do everything and anything they wanted, without addressing her impossible body measurements until later. 

Gosling's Ken (right) is teased by Liu's Ken

She lives in Barbieland which is perfect, and features all of her homes, cars and wardrobes. And just like the real Barbies, she doesn't actually drink milk or eat or walk down stairs.

Perhaps the funnier bits were of Gosling as Ken who was desperate for Barbie's attention, and having to compete with other Kens like that of Simu Liu. But it is true -- he really was her arm ornament.

An interesting storyline develops when Barbie suddenly develops flat feet and needs to find her owner which results in her facing the real world of California, and Ken discovering patriarchy and horses. It also involves Mattel headquarters headed by Will Ferrell being a clumsy boss who likes an entourage of minions around him.

The most integral scene is America Ferrera who gives a long monologue about how women in real life have to walk a very fine line that is full of contradictions that make it impossible to be the perfect woman, let alone be yourself.

"It is literally impossible to be a woman. You are so beautiful and yet so smart, and it kills me that you don't think you're good enough. Like, we have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we're always doing it wrong," she starts off.

An all-inclusive Barbie land abounds

"You have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can never say you want to be thin. You have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to be thin. You have to have money, but you can't ask for money because that's crass. You have to be a boss, but you can't be mean. You have to lead, but you can't squash other people's ideas. You're supposed to love being a mother but don't talk about your kids all the damn time. 

"You have to be a career woman but also always be looking out for other people. You have to answer for men's bad behaviour, which is insane, but if you point that out, you're accused of complaining. You're supposed to stay pretty for men, but not so pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women because you're supposed to be part of the sisterhood.

"But always stand out and always be grateful. But never forget that the system is rigged. So find a way to acknowledge that but also always be grateful. You have to never get old, never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never show fear, never get out of line.

"It's too hard! It's too contradictory and nobody gives you a medal or says thank you! And it turns out in fact that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also everything is your fault. 

Amusing doll-like situations in Barbieland

"I'm just so tired of watching myself and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us. And if all of that is also true for a doll just representing women, then I don't even know."

Suddenly this is all deep and existential -- but wait -- the Barbies need to figure out how to get their Barbieland back and becomes mildly funny, not hilarious funny which was what I was expecting...

At any rate, it's a very inclusive movie, featuring all of the past Barbies, including discontinued ones and shamelessly plugs her and Ken's outfits.

Robbie is really good as Barbie, and Gosling's having a lot of fun, making fun of Ken.

Hopefully there will not be a sequel. We're good with just this one.

Barbie

1hr, 54 minutes

Written and directed by Greta Gerwig

Co-written by Noah Baumbach