Late to the party, but now with the premiere on Max, it’s time to give my thoughts on one of the biggest films of the year…yes, that movie!

For over 6 decades, Barbie has become an icon for young girls. Living in Barbie Land, the stereotypical Barbie wakes up and greets her fellow Barbies each day, go to the beach to meet Ken, Ken, Ken, Ken, and Allan. Each night is a dance party followed by a girls’ sleepover. However, during a dance party, Barbie begins to question about death and it shocks everyone. 

Barbie realizes she must go to the real world to find out why she begins to slowly change. Upon her arrival at Mattel with Ken, she soon learns that to revert back, she must find the girl who used to play with her. Enter Gloria, a Mattel employee who played with Barbie but has since gone through hard times. Together with Gloria and her daughter Sasha, Barbie heads back to see Barbie Land has completely changed because of Ken, who learns about patriarchy and takes over. Can Barbie find a way to save Barbie Land and what will happen afterwards?

This film has been in development for many years and it has finally arrived. This reviewer admits there was skepticism as to how the film would play out. In all honesty, I was expecting a bad film that I would wonder ‘what were they thinking’? However, it turns out better than expected as it melds absurd humor, musical sequences, and a wave of emotions all wrapped up in a nice and neat little package courtesy of Greta Gerwig and Noam Baumbach. 

When it comes to the role of what would be known as the stereotypical “Barbie”, there couldn’t be any more perfect casting than Margot Robbie. She has become a go-to when it comes to certain characters (Harley Quinn anyone?). She is great as Barbie, who slowly begins to have feelings that are not what she is used to. Of course, there are other Barbies in the film, and played by the likes of Issa Rae, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Dua Lipa, and a hilarious and cringy Kate McKinnon (as Weird Barbie), but Robbie takes center stage as the main Barbie.

Ryan Gosling plays the main Ken of the film, one who is seen more as a “friend” to Barbie than he expects. Once they enter the real world, he learns about “patriarchy” aka male dominance and that leads to taking over Barbie Land as “Ken-Dom” with the other Kens, played by the likes of Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, and Kinglsey Ben-Adir, and let’s not forget John Cena as Merman Ken. Will Ferrell adds some comic flair as the male-dominated CEO of Mattel while Rhea Perlman plays a very important role that connects to the whole world of Barbie. 

America Ferrera is great as the key who becomes the catalyst to what begins to happen to Barbie while Ariana Greenblatt is quickly becoming a name to look out for Ferrara’s headstrong Gen-Z daughter. Michael Cera is funny as Allan, the only boy in Barbie Land not named Ken. There is a scene towards the end that becomes very emotional and heart wrenching, but then the final scene goes back to a bit of “what the heck” hysterics. 

Barbie is an array of emotions, from funny to emotional, all with great performances by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in the role of the titular Barbie and Ken.

WFG RATING: B+

Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Mattel/Heyday Films/Luckychap Productions film. Director: Greta Gerwig. Producers: David Heyman, Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley, and Robbie Brenner. Writers: Greta Gerwig and Noam Baumbach; based on the Mattel toyline. Cinematography: Rodrigo Prieto. Editing: Nick Houy.

Cast: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrara, Ariana Greenblatt, Will Ferrell, Rhea Perlman, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Emma Mackey, Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adair, Ncuti Gatwa, Dua Lipa, John Cena.