Review: 'Barbie' isn't just a woman telling a woman story but also serving male roles with grace like of Ken

Barbie

How much pink is too much pink? Apparently, not at all! And how do you manage to take a character like Barbie - a doll that stands for all the stereotypes attached to beauty and perfection but still an essential part of everyone's childhood; and turn into a relevant, feminist and meaningful voice while not losing the fun? Well, leave it to director Greta Gerwig to ace it. 

The excitement for Barbie starring a huge ensemble cast led by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling has been unreal and massive and while there always was a positive outlook to it owing to the fact that the woman who helmed Little Women and Lady Bird is captaining the project - there was still a concern as to just how much of it will actually connect.

Having had the chance to see the film beforehand, here is what I thought about it which might help you to know whether to watch it or not-

Self-Awareness, Novelty & Relevancy

Helen Mirren is the narrator of the film and after the epic 2001: A Space Odyssey themed introduction of Barbie takes place, Mirren's narration is already enough to prepare you for what lies ahead. Barbie (Margot Robbie) is the only stereotypical barbie that everyone loves and associates to while in Barbie Land, everything else is as perfect as it can be. The women are the ones ruling the world here and Ken (Ryan Gosling) and the many other Kens are just there 'beaching it off.' Gerwig instantly prepares you for some of the most hilarious sequences of this universe where everything is reversed from how it is in the real world.

But in a quest to do that, she never enters the dangerous territory of being a lecturer who is here to only have a comment on everything too bluntly. Instead, the commentary on feminism, patriarchy, existential crisis, gender discrimination and just in general about women and their treatment is mostly done in a guarded yet obvious, hard-hitting yet breezy, bitterly true but still palatable manner. There are multiple references to real life and the actors who are a part of the film as well but all that is done with intelligent and funny nuggets. 

The novelty of an idea like this being transpired on-screen is another feat in itself - and while Barbie has own her ways of happiness in the Barbie land, her encounter in the real world and how it is unfortunately still extremely male-dominated - the parallels drawn between the reversal of situations in both these worlds is done with such finesse and intricacy that it only gets better and better with every plot development.

But hey, Barbie is almost as equally about Barbie as it is about Ken.

We Can't Get Kenough of Ken & Ryan Gosling

It is amazing how there was an outrage back then when it was revealed that Ryan Gosling, a 42-year old man is playing the role of Ken. And here we are where we can safely say that Gosling is the MVP of Barbie and an absolute show-stealer. From being a trophy to Barbie in Barbie land to being enamored by how things are different in the real world to shaking things up again in Barbieland and finding his own real self, Ken is given an arc which is actually so much better and umpteen times more impactful than Barbie's. 

And of course, it is purely because of Gosling's scintillating performance that it becomes the highlight more than anything else. Gosling is charming, vulnerable, child-like, melodious and obviously, incredibly sexy playing Ken and going through the hoops of the story. Not to say that Robbie isn't absolutely fantastic as Barbie because she obviously is but it is Gosling that takes the cake and becomes the reason to watch the film even more.

The Impeccable World-Building & Set Design

Right from any glimpses that were seen in the trailer earlier, it became more and more apparent as to the sheer effort that has gone into making this Barbie world what it sets out to be. Every frame in Barbie land leaves you wowed more and more thus appreciating it to no bounds. Sarah Greenwood's production design, the set decoration by Katie Spencer and Ashley Swanson and the entire art direction team come together to create the make-believe world that you want to believe in and want to be a part of. I don't know how many notes did Gerwig and her entire team take from Wes Anderson but they have surpassed several benchmarks just by the world-building that they have managed to achieve here.

The Monologues & Getting a Tad Bit Too Much

America Ferrera plays a key role in the film, that of a human unlike the Barbies and Kens. In a supremely pivotal scene, Ferrera gets to deliver an incredibly powerful monologue about the state of women in the real world. The lady does it with such authority and it makes sense because that is indeed what women face in a general consensus. 

Apart from this one monologue which makes an impact, there are several other shorter versions which then becomes a tad too much to fathom. Even as we reach towards the climax, for a film that was so smart, subtle and nonchalant about conveying underlying layers of messaging starts getting more and ore direct thus accounting for some fatigue.

The Verdict

Even then, Barbie is a film that is a celebration in itself; an achievement in filmmaking that is to be appreciated and in layman's terms, just a magnificently fun ride to be on as the definition and perception of Barbie changes forever and for the food by still not losing the innocence and nostalgia attached to it.

Rating - **** (4/5)