Barbie

You would have never guessed years ago that Barbie would among the most anticipated films in history, much less half of the most anticipated double feature in cinematic history. But that's exactly the case as Barbie and Oppenheimer make their cinematic debuts. The latter film is three hours long and I'm not made of time. So, it's off to Barbieland.

Barbieland is where all the Barbies and Kens live and party. One particular Barbie, the Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie), suddenly questions her mortality during a dance number. She tries to laugh it off until those questions interfere with her life. Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon) sends her off to the real world for her answers. Her Beach Ken (Ryan Gosling) tags along for the ride.

Their misadventures in Los Angeles draw the attention of Mattel's CEO (Will Ferrell). Barbie joins with Mattel employee Gloria (America Ferrera) and her daughter, Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt). Ken, meanwhile, discovers patriarchy and toxic masculinity, and brings them back to Barbieland. The resulting "Kendom" threatens to mess with the real world. Barbie, Gloria and Sasha have to hurry before Ken and the Kens make their Kendom permanent. That's basically it.

Greta Gerwig and her co-writer Noah Baumbach visualize a surprisingly profound story. Sure, Helen Mirren's deadpan narrations comprise some of the film’s funniest lines. But she's also insightful as she narrates Barbie's history in the opening. Who knew that "stereotypical" Barbie was quite the trendsetter? Barbie even meets her maker, Ruth Handler (Rhea Perlman), who gives her a much-needed pep talk. The patriarchy exemplified by Kendom and the Mattel board personifies their stupidity. That's some great satire, there.

Mirren's on-screen costars are clearly having fun whether they're playing humans or dolls. The Barbie and Kens are fully committed to playing their toyetic roles. That's what makes Robbie's buoyant performance as Barbie so endearing. We're on her side whether her problems are mundane (flat feet!) or serious (her existence). You'll have fun asking, "which one?" when Gosling's Ken complains about another Ken (the most significant one is played by Simu Liu). Ken's goofiness is entertaining even when he turns bad. The supporting Barbies (including Issa Rae's President Barbie and Hari Nef's Doctor Barbie) make for a fun bunch. Sasha and Gloria get their best moments with rousing speeches that exposit on the film's thesis. Even the Mattel board of directors show some hidden depths. 

The film's commitment to its doll aesthetics is commendable. The Barbieland visualized by Sarah Greenwood is an astonishing life-sized playset. Everything from the Dream Houses to the Vehicles are convincingly toyetic. That makes it delightfully surreal whenever we see Barbie driving overhead. You'll think they're actually toys come to life. Mattel's oppulent boardroom gives the real world its own splendor. Jacqueline Durran dresses the Barbies and Kens with equally appealing wardrobes. The soundtrack includes a decent score from Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt and some appealing songs, including the opening Pink, which has a hilarious reprise.

Overall, Barbie is a film that'll entertain kids and cynics alike. It's hard to frown when everyone on screen is having a ball. You'll even learn a thing or two during Barbie's existential crisis. Its 114 minutes will breeze by in no time. What's to hate about it? Not much. Just see it. I'll get to the other half of this "double feature" this weekend. Watch for the review.