On Friday, July 21, 2023, the new “Barbie” made its debut into movie theaters across the U.S. The movie stars Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken.The film begins with telling the history of Barbie dolls and introducing the audience to stereotypical Barbie. Life for Barbie seems perfect in Barbie Land, until it’s not. Strange things start to happen to Barbie and she begins to have thoughts about death. Along with these ideas, her feet turned flat and she discovered cellulite on her legs similar to a human. With these peculiar happenings, Barbie must travel to the real world and find her owner to fix what occurred.
While on her way to the real world, Barbie finds Ken in the back of her car. So instead of going alone, Ken accompanies her. When Barbie arrives in the real world, she discovers the harsh reality of the foreign land. This movie was so much deeper than I expected it to be. From the very beginning of the movie, viewers are transported into another world of imagination. The story and characters in the movie flow very well together. The cinematography and visuals are very eye-catching and impressive. I really enjoyed seeing Barbie Land and how colorful and dazzling all the sets looked. The attention to detail with the outfits and designs are incredible.
Diving into the cast, I think everyone played their respective roles perfectly. Starting with Margot Robbie, she truly embodies Barbie excellently. Robbie has the looks of a Barbie doll and her acting with her part was done to perfection. I also really enjoyed seeing Ryan Gosling as Ken. I couldn’t see him playing Ken, but I’m so happy that he did because he was truly on point with his role. Every character in the movie did an amazing job with their parts, providing a performance that contained a blend of humor, emotion, and anticipation. The actors contributing these elements made it very easy to get invested in the movie.
The story line was also an important subject to mention. There was adventure, twists, valuable life lessons, along with heartwarming moments.The movie effortlessly balanced elements of comedy, emotion, and fantasy. The director was able to create a story that would be appealing to audiences of all ages. I would recommend the movie for more young adults/teens, as it covers topics of feminism, patriarchy, and toxic masculinity. Stereotypical Barbie deals with finding the purpose of life and living as a woman in a patriarchal society. I loved seeing the empowerment and strength of these fearless women that broke through typical stereotypes. While addressing important topics, the movie also contains key themes such as embracing one’s identity, friendships, and self-realization. This film definitely touched the inner child in me.
The soundtrack of the movie is also a fantastic piece in this movie. Most of the songs in the film were upbeat and catchy. Artists such as Billie Eilish, Ice Spice, and Lizzo are featured in the movie. The music truly enhances the beauty of the film’s scenes and storytelling. Each song efficiently captures every emotion conveyed on screen that left an impact on me. The song “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish was truly such a beautiful song that tied perfectly to a scene in the movie. I was left feeling emotional and even had me tearing up.
Overall, this movie was very beautiful and well made. The story, scenes, characters, and music kept the audience engaged and invested throughout the movie. The humor is dead-on and left me with some genuine laughs, while also being able to blend with the more emotional scenes. I would give this movie four out of five stars.
