Barbie (2023) Review

It has been almost a year since Barbie was released and I have finally found the time to give it a watch and here is my review for this global phenomenon that I didn't watch at the cinema. The premise of the film sees Barbie and Ken living their best life in Barbie Land, but when they go to the real world they see how that world affects both of them. 

Main Character

Margot Robbie plays Barbie and she is fantastic in her role, she is literally what I would expect when somebody was cast as Barbie and I think she knew that. She has that natural charisma and star power about her that means she owns the screen and plays the over the top Barbie well. But there are some dramatic scenes here where she takes this ridiculous character and makes you care about her and the situation that she is in. Though I don't think it defines her performance I think it was a shame that she didn't get an Oscar nomination for this role when others were given that honour. 

Supporting Characters

Ryan Gosling plays Ken and he is also brilliant in this film. He just understands what was required to take on this role and his chemistry with Robbie is fantastic. He is his own character and does have a character arc which I liked though it is definitely not a big priority of the film. 

America Ferrera plays someone from the real world who has a real connection with Barbie and she is really good in the role. She feels like a real person and she seemed to really enjoy her role in the film and it feels like she adds something to the overall feel of the film. 

Issa Rae, Kate Mckinnon & Emma Mackey are great as other Barbies as are Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir & Ncuti Gatwa as other Kens. These are some great performers and they bring life to some of these smaller roles. 

Special shout out to Will Ferrell who really had me laughing throughout the film and maybe was the best pure comedic outlet for this film. 

Story

The story has way more weight and depth to it that you would expect from a film called Barbie. It looks at the human issues that women go through and the imposter syndrome that both Barbie and Ken experience in their different roles and it is mostly well handled. However, it does get a bit too much at times. I think the film could have benefited a bit more from being a bit more subtle at times instead of beating the message over our heads throughout the film. 

Script

The script is well written, this is actually a pretty funny film. It is pretty nuanced and adult humour which I very much enjoyed. It also does a great job with the drama and made me care about these characters and the plight that they were in. 

Style 

The film looks great, Barbie Land is incredibly vibrant and colourful and it does an effective job of contrasting with the scenes that take place in the real world. The musical numbers are all well done too and all the music in the film is well used and pretty catchy. I do think the film has a bit of a pacing problem, the film doesn't spend that much time in the real world and it just takes a bit to get going after a rather long first act. 

Overall

Overall, Barbie is a great film. It is a fun film that does a good job at sending a message and it is nice to see an original idea get the love and attention that this film got. 

Rating - 8/10