Susan Granger’s review of “Barbie” (Warner Bros./Mattel Films)
Much-hyped, candy-colored “Barbie” is not what I expected. I was anticipating a silly, bubble-gum pink caricature of Mattel’s iconic plastic doll.
Instead, writer/director Greta Gerwig and producer/actress Margot Robbie have created a satirical comedy-adventure that cleverly exposes our sexist societal shortcomings.
Back in 2018, ambitious Israeli businessman Ynon Kreiz decided to expand the Mattel franchise into movies, TV shows, stage productions and theme parks, beginning with this surreal, live-action fantasy.
After meeting Margot Robbie, he decided not only to partner with her production company LuckyChap Entertainment but also to insist that she embody the titular toy. Robbie then suggested that Greta Gerwig (“Lady Bird,” “Little Women”) write the script, and Gerwig brought in her husband/ filmmaker Noah Baumbach.
Narrated by Helen Mirren, the $145 million, coming-of-age extravaganza begins with a “2001: A Space Odyssey” parody with little girls bashing their traditional baby dolls before morphing into the pink pristine perfection of Barbieland.
That’s where beautiful, ‘stereotypical Barbie’ (Robbie) awakens in her Malibu Dreamhouse and arises to greet many diverse Barbies, along with lovelorn Ken (wry, scene-stealing Ryan Gosling), assorted ‘beachy’ Kens, Allan (Michael Cera) and Midge (Emerald Fennell).
But then things start to go wrong. Perennially happy Barbie suddenly starts having an identity crisis and – Egad! – thinking about death. After chatting with Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon), curiosity leads her to into the patriarchal ‘real world’ of Los Angeles.
That’s where Barbie becomes entangled with Gloria (America Ferrera) and Sasha’s (Ariana Greenblatt) strained mother/daughter relationship, highlighted by Gloria’s passionate monologue about the expectations and ‘impossibility’ of being a woman.
Fusing idealism with reality, nostalgia with self-realization, the shrewdly subversive script skewers Mattel’s dim-witted CEO (Will Ferrell) while acknowledging Barbie’s inventor, businesswoman Ruth Handler (Rhea Perlman).
According to Handler’s autobiography “Dream Doll,” she envisioned this long-legged, immaculately outfitted figurine that she named after her daughter Barbara. Ken was subsequently named after her son. (There’s a brief scene on a park bench in which Barbie chats with an older woman – the ‘real’ Barbara Handler.)
Years later, Ruth Handler had an unfortunate skirmish with the Securities & Exchange Commission, and her idea became lost in polarizing controversy about rigid beauty ideals and unrealistic body conformism.
Meanwhile on-screen, Barbie’s visual values are glorious, thanks to production designer Sarah Greenwood and costumer Jacqueline Durran. And the score features Dua Lipa, Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice, Lizzo and Billie Elish.
On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “Barbie” is an edgy, existential, empowering 8, playing in theaters.
