Greta Gerwig's "BARBIE"
Review by Dennis D. McDonald
While I’ll alway have a warm spot in my heart for Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn and Sharon Tate, I have to admit that her Barbie is pretty good, too.
I really enjoyed this movie. Not only is it weird but director Gerwig plays out a lot of different themes ranging from sexism and patriarchy to unrealistic personal expectations growing up. Not everything works but, overall, I think we have an example here of a popular movie that’s not only funny but which also takes chances with some serious themes.
My own experience with Barbie is fairly limited. I remember debating with my wife when our now-grown daughter was little whether we should allow her to play with Barbie dolls. We did so and some of what she played with had been my wife’s when she was a little girl. And now that we have a granddaughter we allow her to play with all the Barbie stuff that we saved when she visits.
I am a bit surprised at the little kids that are being taken to see this movie by their parents, not because it’s “inappropriate” but because a lot of the humor and satire will be lost on the very young. Also there are some humorous details that go by very swiftly that might be missed if you blink or briefly close your eyes. My favorite: Ken’s lament about the tiny size of his house’s refrigerator and its ability to hold only one six-pack!
And kudos to Mattel for allowing itself to be featured so prominently in the film!
Finally, congratulations are due to all the artists and designers that created and built the Barbieland sets. They had better get an Oscar for this!
Review copyright (c) 2023 by Dennis D. McDonald
