Review - "Barbie", a Pink Soaked Summer Extravaganza

"Barbie" | Warner Bros. Media


Without a shadow of a doubt the “kenergy” this summer is off the charts, in no small part due to the release of Greta Gerwig's “Barbie” movie. Mattel’s first foray into film, it has quickly become the one of the largest successes of 2023. It stands as a hilarious and satirical journey into the pink soaked world of Barbie.

The film centers around the titular Barbie (Margot Robbie) traveling to the real world after gaining irrepressible thoughts of death, flat feet, and cellulite. On this adventure to the real world she is unexpectedly joined by the lovelorn Ken (Ryan Gosling). Arriving at Venice Beach in Los Angeles Barbie discovers the world is not as perfect as she was expecting and for Ken it’s better than he could have imagined. While in the real world Ken learns about the patriarchy and decides to take it back to Barbie Land. Upon Barbie's return to Barbie Land she discovers that the Kens have taken over and that she, along with a woman named Gloria (America Ferrera) and her daughter (Ariana Greenblatt), may be the only hope to return the power to the Barbies.

Although it is a meta-comedy it handles social commentary about gendered societal norms, both of Barbie Land and the real world, and satirizes them through exaggerated characters, like the CEO of Mattel (Will Farrel), to make them stand out more in the film. The real world and Barbie Land act as exact opposites of each other and with that the movie talks about the negatives of both patriarchal and matriarchal societies.

The casting is perfect with Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling both fully embodying Barbie and Ken, making them feel like real, albeit unrealistic, people. The rest of the Barbies (Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef) and the Kens (Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Scott Evans) give amazing performances as well. Finally, America Ferrera gives a standout performance as Gloria, especially in the latter half of the movie.

Most of the film is quite outlandish and funny, but throughout the film's 114 minute run time there are many parts that are heartfelt and emotional. One such scene near the beginning shows Barbie sitting on a bench and observing the real world for the first time, showing the many emotions that humans can experience, which stands in stark contrast to Barbie Land.

Although the special effects may be a negative to some, to many they are a huge positive because they lean into the campiness of both the story and characters. The sets in Barbie Land look exactly like the toys, from the dream houses, to the cars, and even the animals. The costume design also takes into account the Barbie lifestyle with bright colors and actual costumes Barbie Dolls have worn in the past.

This film shows that even the most basic toys can have human and meaningful storylines while keeping the feel and tone that the toys elicit. It carries a good balance of whimsy and seriousness, with an ending that will stick with you long after you finish watching it. A smart script, amazing performances, and a perfectly executed grease style dance off makes “Barbie” a must see movie of the summer and an unexpectedly popular blockbuster.



Director Greta Gerwig


Starring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Ariana Greenblatt, Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Michael Cera, Emma Mackey, Ncuti Gatwa, Alexandra Shipp, Hari Neff, Scott Evans


Rated PG-13


My Rating ★★★★★

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