Movie Review: Barbie 2023
Movie Review: Barbie 2023
When it comes to Movie Review: BARBIE 2023, it’s pretty safe to say that it was a bigger hit than many expected. Greta Gerwig’s curious dance with intellectual property and a Mattel CEO made for one of the year’s biggest blockbuster surprises.
The film stars Margot Robbie as Barbie, a fashion doll who enters the real world and finds herself facing an existential crisis. The film is about gender, equality and even touches on death.
Cast
Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling may take the lead in this movie about Barbie, but that’s far from all of the faces you’ll see on the screen. The Mattel Films adaptation, which was first announced in 2014 and was originally supposed to star Amy Schumer, features a cast that’s as diverse as the dolls themselves. Greta Gerwig, whose previous directorial efforts include Lady Bird and Little Women, helms the film and has assembled an impressive roster of actors.
In addition to Robbie and Gosling, the 2023 Barbie film features a host of up-and-coming stars and established names that have all earned rave reviews for their work. Pop star Dua Lipa makes her big-screen debut as mermaid Barbie, while Insecure creator Issa Rae is President Barbie. Also joining the cast are Saturday Night Live alum Kate McKinnon as a choppy, drawn-on version of Barbie and Alexandra Shipp (X-Men films, Tick, Tick… Boom!). There’s also Nicola Coughlan of Bridgerton, Emma Mackey (Sex Education), Hari Nef of Assassination Nation and Transparent fame and Scott Evans, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Ritu Arya and Ncuti Gatwa of Grace and Frankie.
A teaser for the movie gave fans a glimpse into Barbie Land, where all of the different dolls and their human counterparts hang out together and do impressive things like win Nobel Peace Prizes. In April, Warner Bros. shared a series of character posters that offered more insight into the world of Barbie and Ken.
Characters
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is the first live-action film based on Mattel’s popular fashion dolls. It stars Margot Robbie as the eponymous character and Ryan Gosling as Ken. The film has been praised for its representation of the female experience and for discussing gender expectations.
The movie’s ensemble cast includes America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Helen Mirren, and Issa Rae. The film’s official Instagram account released a series of posters that showcased different versions of the dolls. Kingsley Ben-Adir, Scott Evans, Simu Liu, and Ncuti Gatwa play different versions of Ken, while Anna Cruz Kayne, Dua Lipa, Hari Nef, and Sharon Rooney portray Barbie’s friends and family members.
In addition to the main characters, Barbie also features a number of Mattel employees and employees from other toy companies. The movie was directed by Gerwig and written by Noah Baumbach. It was produced by Warner Bros. and is the second highest-grossing film of 2023.
The movie was filmed at various locations in England and Los Angeles, including Leavesden Studios, the Venice Beach Skatepark, and the London Metropolitan Museum of Art. The film was released on July 21 and received positive reviews from critics. It is expected to continue its box office success through the summer. It will be available for at-home viewing on HBO Max in December. The film has already broken several records, including the fastest-grossing movie ever for a female director.
Producers
A movie starring Barbie isn’t exactly your typical blockbuster, but that’s exactly what Greta Gerwig has delivered with this pink-tinged movie. The Oscar-nominated director of Little Women and Lady Bird has created a feminist fairy tale that’s just as joyful and maximalist as the iconic fashion doll herself. It’s also defiantly pink and surprisingly insightful—not to mention, a major box-office smash.
The film stars Margot Robbie as Stereotypical Barbie, a “perfect” young woman who experiences a full-on existential crisis. Ryan Gosling plays Ken, the love interest.
Barbie was in development for a decade. Its first iteration, under Sony Pictures, was slated to star Amy Schumer as the Mattel doll. But Schumer left the project a year later, citing creative differences. Gerwig took over the reins of the film in 2021.
The director’s background as an actress helps inform the film’s depiction of Barbie and her family. She also brings a slew of awards-season cred to the project. And her ensemble cast is stacked with talent.
Two-time Oscar nominees Kate McKinnon and Simu Liu are among the supporting players in this Barbie story, which tackles issues of gender roles, equal pay, and even the patriarchy. Plus, British pop singer Dua Lipa makes her feature debut as a mysterious music artist.
Plot
It’s rare for a film to earn a rabid cult following before it’s even been seen, but that’s what happened with Barbie, Greta Gerwig’s new movie based on the iconic fashion doll. The film has already broken several records at the box office, including the biggest opening weekend for a movie directed by a woman. It’s a bold move for the director, who is known for her indie films like Lady Bird and Little Women. But while the film doesn’t quite achieve its ambitions, it does provide an entertaining ride for audiences.
The plot of the movie revolves around a girl named Barbie who gets kicked out of her own world, Barbieland, after she develops human emotions and starts questioning her existence. She ends up in the real world and is tracked down by Mattel employees, who try to convince her to return to her life as a plastic doll. But Barbie finds a guardian angel in the form of Gloria, a human employee who works at Mattel and her teen daughter Sasha. The spirit of Ruth Handler, Barbie’s creator, also appears.
Barbie is a fun and entertaining movie for fans of the franchise, but it’s also a movie that raises some serious questions about gender expectations and patriarchy. Fortunately, director Greta Gerwig manages to wrap the film in dialog and comedy scenes that keep the audience entertained.
