Ken’s (Ryan Gosling, “Drive”) entire arc is a joke. The film’s inciting incident is funny because of how out of character it seems: Barbie starts having irrepressible thoughts of death, a pivot from her joyous, pink demeanor. The film starts with the reference to “2001: A Space Odyssey” seen in early trailers: Little girls play with baby dolls in a desert, only to shatter them against the rocks when Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie, “Babylon”) enters the scene. Why am I leaving mildly confused that the greatest emotional response I had was the desire for Ken’s fluffy, rainbow “I am Kenough” hoodie? I came into that theater confident I would walk out emotionally altered, at the least. Where is Gerwig in all this? I trusted her. The colors, the music, the production value all feel like an admittedly well-constructed mask for a mediocre-at-best script. Instead of thinking “Wow, I didn’t think I would like a Barbie movie, but that was quite enjoyable for the most part,” I feel betrayed. It’s kind of like “Grease” with even more outfit changes, a pastel and pink color scheme, blonder hair and the polish of a blockbuster production budget.Īs is, any flaws are glaring. There are some quite catchy musical numbers. In fact, had Gerwig not raised expectations, the movie might have exceeded them. We might not expect a “live-action Barbie movie” to be flawless. It had the expectations of a Gerwig film - something personal, something moving, a tight and sensical script. So “Barbie” didn’t just have whatever expectations one might have of a live-action Barbie movie. Even “ Frances Ha,” which Gerwig wrote and in which she stars, while not as polished, is an intimate portrait of a love- and life-affirming character. The March sisters’ bonds and individual journeys are innovative despite the age of their source material. Gerwig’s take on “ Little Women” could make any viewer’s childhood look bleak by comparison. Her film “ Lady Bird” is an offbeat coming-of-age story for an oft-infuriating character whose emotional proximity to the viewer makes her impossible not to love. The “Barbie” movie could have been alright if it weren’t directed by Greta Gerwig, who until this point we have had no reason to distrust.
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