Barbie is pretty in pink. The new comedy from Greta Gerwig makes me wish I had played with Barbies. We all had siblings or cousins who may have owned them, and I am sure they took away a lot of nostalgia from this one.
Why has there never been a Barbie movie? Maybe it needed the sweet spirit of Gerwig to bring it to life. Greta and husband Noah Baumbach pen a hilarious and heart moving script about what it means to walk comfortably in your own skin. Living up to the hype – especially f you are a classic Barbie – is a lot of pressure for us all. Ken even has his own struggles and has to be reminded that he is Kenough.
The story sounds silly at first. Barbie and Ken have to travel through a portal from Barbie Land – where everything is perfect – to the real world. Barbie and Ken soon find out that the real world is nothing like their own.
This film touches on several social and gender related stereotypes. It never feels preachy but instead comes from a place of questions. What does it mean to be perfect? Why do we all struggle with the same things? Why are all our struggles different at the same time. What does it mean to just be the best you there is?
The humor might not be everyone’s cup of tea. If you never played with a doll – or action figure – then you might miss a lot of the jokes. If you are willing to go with it and laugh at the characters and yourself you will enjoy the ride.
Barbie is rated PG-13 for suggestive references and brief language
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