To live in Barbieland is to be a perfect being in a perfect place, Well, unless you have a full-on existential crisis, or you're a Ken, that could all turn around. Out of the blue, Barbie (Margot Robbie) starts dwelling on death. and other such things, and while others including Ken (Ryan Gosling) attempt to console her, she eventually seeks the help of another older Barbie (Kate MxKinnon) that surmises that Barbie's 'owner' in the 'Real World" is going through rough periods in her life and that Barbie needs to go there to seek out this owner and find out what's going on with her. Meanwile, Mattel's CEO (Will Ferrell) finds out that Barbie is in his world, and with others including his assistant, Aaron Dinkins (Connor Swindells) presses forward to capture her to get her, to quote the CEO, "back in a box".
Others to round out the cast are America Ferrara as Gloria, Ariana Greenblatt as Sasha, Gloria's daughter, Rhea Perlman as Ruth Handler, Michael Cena as Allan, Issa Rae as Barbie, Simu Liu as Ken, Scott Evans as Ken, John Cena as Ken, Emerald Fennell as Midge and Helen Mirren as the narrator.
This was creatively and sequenced amazingly well by director Greta Gerwig ("Hannah Takes the Stairs" '07, "Nights and Weekends" '08, "Lady Bird" '17, "Little Women" '19) plus a music video. Greta Gerwig has acted in a number of films which is where she came in contact with her co-writer of this film, Noah Baumbach. Then, the obvious next step to this creative artist would be in the writing realm where she has written a fair amount of good work--this film included. Sure, she directed a film in 2008, however, she got her biggest break when she directed the amazing "Lady Bird" in 2017. She continues to impress, not only critics, but audiences as well. This was also written with such originality by Gerwig ("Hannah Takes the Stairs" '07, "Nights and Weekends" '08, "Northern Comfort" '10, "The Dish & the Spoon" (additional material) '11, "Frances Ha' '12, "Mistress America" '15, "Lady Bird" '17, "Little Women" '19) plus TV and shorts, and Noah Baumbach ("Kicking and Screaming" '95,"Mr. Jealousy" '97, "Highball" '97, "Thirty" (TV movie) 2000, "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" '04, "The Squid and the Whale" '05, "Margot at the Wedding" '07, "Fantastic Mr. Fox" '09, "Greenberg" '10, "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" '12, "Frances Ha" '12, "The Corrections" (TV movie) '12, "While We're Young" '14, "Mistress America" '15, "The Meyerowitz Stories" '17, "Marriage Story" '19, "White Noise" '22) plus a short. With these two consummate writers, it didn't really surprise me that the screenplay would've been written any other way than well thought out and cohesive. It truly turns, what could've been a silly, fluffy, predictable romcom and turned it on its head. Sure, the story starts off with the 'wonderful, sensational' every day life that we all could've seen coming only to set up how each scene was to play out. Then, Barbie 'contracts' her existential crisis, and all hell breaks loose. Suffice it to say, one could write a sociological thesis on how this screenplay progressed throughout the film. It ultimately went deeper as the story unfolded. Both Robbie and Gosling gave stunning performances as the duo and as did America Ferrara as the mom in this. But the true star here is Gerwig herself. Her ability to, not only convey her ideas directing wise, but writing as well, were second to none. I smell Oscar nods on this.
As the trailer succinctly puts, "if you love Barbie, this is the movie for you, if you hate Barbie, this is the movie for you", is definitely true. I was never a big Barbie fan--I am a male and didn't grow up with it. My sister had a Barbie, so I'm sure she will want to see this. But I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed this because of its freshness, originality and unpredictableness. You be the judge.
Out of 4 Stars: 4 Rated: PG-13 114mins.
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