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James Mottram

4/5 stars
One of the most hyped films of 2023, Barbie arrives filled with feel-good factor.
For once, a studio blockbuster isn’t a superhero or action movie. Instead, it’s a wild and wacky pink-hued comedy-musical about the world’s most famous doll.
Like The Lego Movie before it, Barbie is a meta-movie that both wallows in nostalgia and challenges it. In that sense, it’s mission accomplished.


A perfectly cast Margot Robbie stars as the famous Mattel-produced doll, living in a Day-Glo world called Barbieland.
Every morning, she wakes up in her Dream House, parties with the other Barbies and largely ignores her male beau Ken (Ryan Gosling), who barely comprehends his purpose in life other than hanging out at the beach and arguing with the other Kens (among them Shang-Chi star Simu Liu).
One day, Robbie starts malfunctioning, forcing her to journey to Los Angeles, where she soon discovers the real world is not full of female empowerment.

At Mattel HQ, Will Ferrell’s CEO heads a boardroom full of men. For a film that is obviously one giant advert for the company’s bestselling toy range, it certainly has no fear of poking at the corporate beast.
Actress-turned-director Greta Gerwig (Little Women) helms the film, working from an often very funny, knowing screenplay co-written with her filmmaker partner Noah Baumbach.
You can see their fingerprints all over this, with jokes about a “Proust Barbie” that didn’t sell well bumping up against more serious points about what it means to be a woman in a patriarchal society.

The performances are all very game, particularly Michael Cera as Allan, Ken’s sad best friend (a doll that was discontinued in Mattel’s history). Gosling’s beefcake steals scenes almost as frequently as he changes outfits.
America Ferrera – as a Mattel employee swept up in the madness – gives one of her best performances in years, delivering one particularly impassioned speech that feels like it will be shared on social media forever.
The real star, however, might be the sets and the incredible work of British production designer Sarah Greenwood, from the plastic-tinged world of Barbieland to the warren-like Mattel HQ.

With some hilarious song-and-dance numbers (Lizzo, Dua Lipa and more are involved) and some cute surprise cameos (John Cena as a merman Ken!), Barbie manages to avoid becoming a one-joke movie through sheer invention.
Get ready: this summer is about to turn very pink.
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Margot Robbie in a still from “Barbie”. Photo: Jaap Buitendijk.

Margot Robbie in a still from “Barbie” (category IIA), directed by Greta Gerwig. Ryan Gosling co-stars. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures

Ryan Gosling (centre) in a still from “Barbie”. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures

Simu Liu (front) in a still from “Barbie”. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures

A still from “Barbie”. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures

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Tom Cruise in a still from “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” (category TBC), directed by Christopher McQuarrie. Hayley Atwell and Rebecca Ferguson co-star. Photo: Paramount Pictures and Skydance

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Lifestyle

Entertainment

Culture

Film & TV

Barbie is a wild and wacky comedy-musical featuring some hilarious song-and-dance numbers and cute surprise cameos
The real star might be the sets and incredible work of production designer Sarah Greenwood, from the plasticky world of Barbieland to the warren-like Mattel HQ


One of the most hyped films of 2023, Barbie is a wild and wacky comedy-musical starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling featuring hilarious song-and-dance numbers, incredible sets and cute cameos.


Film reviews

Cinema

Fame and celebrity

Hollywood

Ryan Gosling

Margot Robbie

Simu Liu

Dua Lipa

An assessment or critique of a service, product or creative endeavour.  Film reviews, restaurant reviews, reviews of art exhibitions. (Eg. Crazy Rich Asians: an important film, yes, but a good one?)


Review

Review | Barbie movie review: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling star in Greta Gerwig’s hilarious comedy-musical

Barbie is a wild and wacky comedy-musical featuring some hilarious song-and-dance numbers and cute surprise cameos The real star might be the sets and incredible work of production designer Sarah Greenwood, from the plasticky world of Barbieland to the warren-like Mattel HQ

Barbie is a wild and wacky comedy-musical featuring some hilarious song-and-dance numbers and cute surprise cameos

The real star might be the sets and incredible work of production designer Sarah Greenwood, from the plasticky world of Barbieland to the warren-like Mattel HQ