It’s a Barbie world and we are just living in it.

Score: 4/5

What a fun time at the movies! Writer-director Greta Gerwig has brought to the screen a delightful movie that tackles every angle you can think of when it comes to the popular Mattel doll. The movie has so much heart to it, and truth in spades, even when that truth is very sad when one stops to think about it outside of a bright-colored Barbieland. The balance between that social commentary, character arcs that pay off, and having loads of fun along the way is impressive. These themes are wrapped around an amazing cast, and production design that feels like a perfect approximation of the imagination come to life. There is a reason this is the summer of Barbie, it’s that great of an experience.

Dipping a bit further into the themes and story of Barbie, this movie isn’t about a fish-out-of-water experience. Yes, Barbie and Ken visit the real world, but it’s what they learn there and bring back to Barbieland that really sets off the crux of the plot. This movie holds back no punches of being a woman in a patriarchal society. As I mentioned earlier the movie dances between laughter and the ugly truth of how unfair our very real world is to women in so many ways. It even takes aim directly at Barbie herself, and the damage the doll has done to body image for so many girls and women throughout the world. It’s not easy being the gender that is not given the same seat of power that the other has. The Kens in Barbieland are a great play on this observation. This movie is smart and has a lot of fun playing with these ideas to great effect. By the end, we get harsh realities but a healthy perspective for how to be better to each other.

This tightrope of message and joy is played beautifully by a cast led by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. They are wonderful as Barbie and Ken respectively. Ken surprisingly had a much larger role to play in this movie than I imagined, and it was hilarious. Gosling is an underrated comedic actor, and it was so fun to see that on full display. Two other standouts that weren’t playing Barbie, Simu Liu as a rival Ken, and Michael Cera as Allan. Cera in particular was too funny as the lowly forgotten friend of Ken. When Ken as a concept is already on shaky ground being the only Allan led to hilarious moments every time. These are all in support though to Robbie, who continues to show she can lead a film like few others can. Her energy is infectious, and it’s apparent in every interaction with other characters. She was also the perfect choice to deliver the many lines in this film calling out patriarchal norms.

While this blockbuster might not get the awards for being great entertainment, it will win for production design. This movie is something else when making an imagination-doll world look real. This comes out from everything from the set, the costumes, and the little cartoonish effects that highlight certain moments. I have said things like joy, delight, and wonder. I imagine everyone working on this film had the same feelings during production.

This is all to say this movie like last summer’s Top Gun: Maverick before it, will be the movie that defines movies for 2023. After a decade of that distinction going to mostly Marvel movies, it’s a refreshing feeling to see something new emerge. Believe the hype, Barbie is a movie moment you don’t want to miss.