Barbie

 

This movie is made for girlies. This is easily the best movie I have seen all year. If you have ever been a Barbie girl and if you grew up playing with Barbies this is just one big trip down nostalgia lane. This is an absolutely beautiful movie. I went to see this movie to celebrate my birthday and it was worth it. I wore my “From Director Greta Gerwig” Shirt with pink shorts, pink Converse, and pink scrunchie. Everyone in the theater was dressed in pink which was a really cool experience. It reminded me of going to see a Star Wars or Marvel movie on opening day and seeing everyone wear merch.



The one thing I really appreciated that I didn’t think I would was how much I loved watching this with my mom. Dolls were a big part of my childhood but they were also a big part of her childhood. I think it’s something we always had a connection with given we both grew up playing with Barbie dolls. Watching her react to this movie, laughing and crying really made this movie really special for me. What I love about Barbie is that she is something that is passed on through generations of people. You played with Barbie, your mother played with Barbie, your Grandma bought Barbies for your mother and you will buy them for your kids. It’s something that connects people. 



All the women I have talked to who have seen this movie, say that they feel seen. I think the monologue that America Ferrera’s character gives about what it's like to be a woman really hit me like a truck. It's crazy to hear exactly how you feel about being a woman put into words like that. Greta Gerwig is an incredible director, something I always admire about her work is her crazy attention to detail, for example, what shade of pink to use and the role of colour in setting the tone. I don’t think there is any other director I would want to do this project other than her. 



I loved this soundtrack. Some of my favourites were the Barbie World remix by Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice with Aqua, Speed Drive by Charli XCX, Dance the Night by Dua Lipa, and What was I Made For by Billie Eilish. The soundtrack has such an incredible list of artists and I honestly didn’t think they could do the soundtrack justice without Nicki Minaj on it. 



The casting for this film is incredible. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling make the perfect Barbie and Ken. As for the other Barbies and Kens, I loved Simu Liu, Scott Evans, and Ncuti Gatwa for the Kens and Emma Mackey, Saron Rooney, Issa Rae, Hari Nef, and Alexandra Shipp for the Barbies. Having the other versions of Barbie and Ken allowed for a more diverse cast, especially when you think of Barbie you think of the stereotypical blonde, white, blue-eyed Barbie. I think this was a great way to show that we are all Barbie and Barbie comes in so many different shapes, sizes, and ethnicities.



One of my favourite characters was Allen, Micheal Cera is absolutely hilarious in this movie. There’s a lot of Canadian love in this project. I also really liked that there were a few actors from Sex Education in the movie, so a nice little reunion with Ncuti Gatwa, Emma Mackey and Connor Swindells. On the real world side, I really enjoyed watching America Ferrera and Ariana Greenblatt play Mother and Daughter. I admire both actresses so much from other projects like Superstore and Love and Monsters, so it was nice to also see them in this, showing the generational impact of Barbie and the impact those dolls have on young girls even through adulthood.



The set for this film is incredible, Barbie Land is absolutely breathtaking and it looks and feels like the doll sets I had growing up. I love the way Barbie goes through her daily routine feels like when you play with Barbies. The costume design for this film is so well done, The outfits that they wear in Barbie Land remind me of every Barbie outfit I ever owned.



I think the only thing I didn’t love was the ending to the story. I feel like it could have been wrapped up a little better. I also wish they spent a little more time on Gloria and Sasha’s mother-daughter relationship, it was kind of rushed and I would have liked to spend more time on their characters. I also would have liked to see Barbie and Ken spend more time in the real world.

On top of all that, this film also put together one of the greatest marketing campaigns I have ever seen for a movie. You could not go a day on social media without seeing an advertisement or endorsement about the Barbie movie in the weeks leading up to the movie's release. It was clever, it was extra, and it was pink pink pink. 

I cried, I laughed and I danced. I think this movie is so intelligent and so beautiful. This movie was hilarious, relatable, and iconic. And since this is getting so long, I will end this by saying you absolutely need to go see this movie.