A highly anticipated movie. You’ve heard the rumors. Seen production photos. The hype is crazy. But does it live up to it?
Barbie: the movie. This is the movie we’ve all be waiting for. After many years in development hell, cast changes and production delays. The original fashionista has made it to the big screen.
So what stays in Barbie land
This is a live action cartoon for adults. And I loved it. It’s bright it’s colorful. Almost everything is shiny and sparkly. Aesthetically it reminded me of movies from the early 2000s. Characters would literally come to life.
This is satire at its absolute best! Satire with style if you will. If you were ready for the corny kids movie with big names attached because of the license. Or a two hour movie of pink and blonde jokes, You’d be disappointed. Everything is done on purpose and taken a thousand percent seriously. As soon as you understand that, it’s alot more fun.
It’s meta. I’ll leave it at that. All the marketing is for a reason. Kudos to all involved.
Everyone is Barbie. All shapes. All colors. All identities. And Barbie can be anything. We’ve heard it for years from the brand. But to see it in live action it’s something special.
Ryan Gosling as Ken. This is controversial but he steals the movie. He is the new take on the blonde bimbo. Focused only on looks and attention he’s hilarious in every scene he’s in. His timing is on point. Even down to his random musical number (yes Ken has a musical number). Kudos to Ryan for not being afraid to be a pretty clown.
Sets and costumes. Detail is the name of the game. Especially is “Barbie land”. From replicas of Barbie toys. To having the costumes act as another character.
The writing. Yes it’s funny, and can be a little silly with adult humor for fun. But there’s a lot of depth in here. Especially towards the second half of the film. Without giving anything away. It really goes against the unexpected. Comedy wise the joke is on you.
And what gets sent to the real world
The ending. It takes a bit of a shift towards the end. I didn’t mind it but I felt something else could have been done.
You really have to pay attention. Yes it’s fun to watch the movie with friends, dressed in pink and eating candy. But this is one you watch and take it in or you’ll be a little lost. At least for your first viewing. This is one I can see at sleepovers and ladies nights.
So what's my opinion of Barbie? It’s campy sparkly romp, with a lot of heart. It’s inventive, it’s creative, with lots of fun storytelling. If your a fan of Barbie or a nostalgia lover. Wear your best pink outfit and see it