‘Barbie’ Movie Review: Ryan Gosling Steals The Show As Ken In This Margot Robbie Film On Ruth Handler’s Famous Doll

‘Barbie’: Cast & Crew

Director: Greta Gerwig

Cast: Margot Robbie, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey, Sharon Rooney, Ana Cruz Kayne, Dua Lipa, Nicola Coughlan, Ritu Arya, Marisa Abela, Ryan Gosling, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Scott Evans, Ncuti Gatwa, Rob Brydon, John Cena, America Ferrera, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt, Rhea Perlman, Helen Mirren, Will Ferrell, Jamie Demetriou, Connor Swindells, Emerald Fennell, Ann Roth

Available On: BookMyShow Stream, Amazon Prime Video

Duration: 1 hour 54 Minutes

‘Barbie’: Story

Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Stereotypical Ken (Ryan Gosling) are having the time of their lives in the colourful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land, which is a matriarchal society. However, when they get a chance to go to the real world, they soon discover the joys and perils of living among humans. Also, Stereotypical Ken realises the benefits of being in a real-life patriarchal society. He goes back to Barbie Land and teaches all the other Kens to take over the world and turn it into a patriarchal society. Soon, the Barbies and the Kens realise their mistakes and decide to find out a mid-path to a better society. Will Stereotypical Barbie and Stereotypical Ken ever find the true meaning of human life? Will the two ever fall in love? Will the two ever go back to the real world? Will there ever be any compromise over opinions between the two? Well, for all that, you’ll have to watch ‘Barbie’.

‘Barbie’: Performances

Ryan Gosling as Stereotypical Ken steals the show. For any onlooker, the film might just be a girly affair considering that it’s called ‘Barbie’ but the best parts of the movie come from Ken and his points of view. Gosling made sure that the character was not just all good looks. The viewpoint of the entire patriarchal set-up feels oh-so-more-real thanks to Gosling's tight performance. He doesn’t let the fluff of the character get to him and ensures that the act is solid and filled with substance.

Margot Robbie is the heart and soul of the film. She holds the entire film on her shoulders. She doesn’t make the character superficial. Rather, she ensures that Barbie stands tall in her values and fights for them till the very end. Barbie might be known for her good looks throughout the world, but Robbie has given it real problems, issues and troubles that make it feel more human and believable.

Ruth Handler’s cameo will win you over.

‘Barbie’: Script, Direction & Technical Aspects

Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach’s writing is what holds the film together. On the outside, it might look like a very kiddish or rather flimsy concept, but when you start watching it, slowly you’ll start realising that the story takes into consideration a lot of societal norms and challenges them. From trying to build the entire Barbie Land as a matriarchal society to Ken’s realisation of real-world privileges for a man – everything has been placed very cautiously and aptly. The writing gives the necessary depth to the otherwise barmy context.

Greta Gerwig’s direction ensures that the film is neither just a puff piece throughout nor a running documentary of feminism. Keeping that balance between fun and being priggish is tricky and Gerwig has managed to have that hold pretty well. However, there are a few times when the movie slightly turns towards being preachy with its dogmas or rather, the underlying dogmatic self-righteousness, which most chauvinistic men would find hard to swallow at first, but will end up eventually taking with a pinch of salt. Getting that perfect balance is tough but Gerwig’s film gets pretty close to nailing it to perfection.

Rodrigo Prieto’s cinematography is another highlight of the film. What’s good is that he managed to create an entire world out of thin air. Shooting such long sequences in entire green rooms cannot be easy in any way, and to get that perfect is definitely a commendable job. However, what’s also striking is that if you don’t immerse yourself in this make-believe world, you will eventually start feeling that the cinematography is a bit too over-the-top and gaudy.

Nick Houy’s editing is decently crisp. He’s managed to keep the film under 2 hours which could have easily been stretched a lot more. Having that restraint of what to show and what to eventually chop off must have been a difficult decision considering the hardcore fans would have wanted to watch every deleted scene of ‘Barbie’. So overall, really well cut.

If there is one thing that’s not too great about ‘Barbie’, it’s the fact that Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt’s music takes the film from being a fantasy comedy to a musical. It’s not entirely a musical, but it’s almost on the verge of it, and if you’re not prepared, you might end up a tad bit disappointed.

‘Barbie’: Can Kids Watch It?

Yes

Outlook’s Verdict

‘Barbie’ is surely not the cup of tea for everyone. Hardcore fans would definitely like it a lot, whereas haters would simply brush it off as a puff piece. However, if you venture deep into it, there’s a lot more to the story and its plotlines. It compels you to think harder and understand numerous societal ills. To add to that, the performances of the two leads are worth the watch. Overall, it’s a Great One Time Watch. I am going with 3.5 stars.