Think pink and enjoy the feel-good film phenomenon that is Barbie.
Directed by Greta Gerwig, who co-wrote it with her partner, Noah Baumbach, the film has taken the world by storm in 2023. It stars Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken. They shine, along with a stellar cast, in this enchanting, hilarious romp which has captivated audiences young and old, fanatical and cynical alike.
The visual effects are stunning and the soundtrack - with music by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt - is super-catchy. Lizzo, Dua Lipa, Sam Smith & Billie Eilish are among the stars whose work features on the already multi-play listed soundtrack.
The movie is a mixture of comedy and fantasy based on the Barbie fashion dolls by Mattel. It follows Barbie and her boyfriend, Ken on a journey from crisis to self- discovery, with plenty of twists and turns, as well as laughs, to keep you amused and entranced.
The supporting cast includes Helen Mirren, singer Dua Lipa, America Ferraro of Ugly Betty fame, Kate McKinnon, Rhea Perlman, Will Ferrell, Issa Rae, Michael Cera and Simu Liu.
It’s the first live-action Barbie film, after a string of computer animations and specials. Filming took place mainly at the Warner Bros Studios in Leavesden in England and at the Venice Beach skatepark in Los Angeles.
Barbie premiered in Los Angeles in July 2023 and its simultaneous release with Universal’s Oppenheimer led to the cultural phenomenon known as
Barbenheimer, where audiences went to both movies as a double bill. Barbie has been critically acclaimed and is the highest grossing film directed by a woman, and the 18th highest grossing film of all time.
Pacy and imaginative, funny as well as moving, the film begins in Barbieland, a matriarchal society with various types of the doll, and Kens who spend all day playing at the beach, while the Barbies work in professions like law, medicine and politics. The action then moves to the real world as Barbie and Ken go on the road to find themselves, with alarming and hilarious consequences.
The main themes include female empowerment, breaking stereotypes and the message that you shouldn’t be boxed in by other people’s expectations.
Favourite quotations from the movie include Ken saying: “To be honest, when I found out the patriarchy wasn't just about horses, I lost interest.”
Barbie: “You can be brainwashed, or you can be ugly. There's nothing in between.”
And Ruth who says: “We mothers stand still so our daughters can look back and see how far they've come.”
The director, Greta Gerwig and her co-writer Noah Baumbach have impressive CVs. They wrote Greenberg, Frances Ha, Mistress America and White Noise. As a solo filmmaker, Gerwig wrote and directed Lady Bird, and Little Women (2019) earning Oscar nominations.
Gerwig and Baumbach were given full creative freedom in writing the film. They collaborated on the screenplay during the Covid pandemic lockdowns and described the writing process as free and open.
The film is a 12A and runs for 1 hr 54 minutes and if you want to get away from bad news and the daily grind, check out this movie, which is a joy to watch and will put a spring in your step and a smile on your dial.
