Skip to main content

Barbie (2023)

 



Barbie is a live-action comedy about the titular doll from the United States. 

Greta Gerwig is a well-known Oscar-nominated female director. She directed and wrote Barbie, Lady Bird, and Little Women. There is nothing wrong with the direction of the film, the writing on the other hand has a few issues. Let's get the big issues out of the way because don't get me wrong I really enjoyed the film. There is a lot of post-civil rights feminism in the writing. As the writer she blames the patriarchy but really the rant she wrote was really just pointing out social expectations. There certainly were moments where my eyes had to roll. Especially when the tween in the film spoke like an early twenties diversity major. 

Margot Robbie plays stereotypical Barbie and not the original Barbie. She is great and the film oddly has a lot of emotion for her to work with. The scenes Greta wrote for her were generally great. She has stellar comedic timing as well. Look forward to the next Ocean's Eleven film starring Robbie.

Ryan Gosling has plenty of Travolta moments. He sings, he dances, he cracks a joke, and plays a very dumb and emotional Ken. Ken doesn't have a place in Barbie Land and sort of plays the villain for a while. Some of the best scenes were at his expense. He also has the best musical number that I would love to see performed live at the Oscars this year.

There are other actors in the film but none of them really bring too much to the film other than Kate McKinnon and Will Ferrell. I left the film having enjoyed the experience. Sure there are some cringe moments but the comedy outweighs the preachy moments. It's not for everyone but I'll recommend it. Result: B+

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

We Bury The Dead (2026)

We Bury The Dead (2026) is a slow burn post apocalypse film centered on grief more than horror. Directed by Zak Hilditch , best known for smaller projects like 1922 and Rattlesnake , this is his first step into a larger American production. You can feel the restraint in the direction, sometimes to the film’s benefit and sometimes to its detriment. The pacing is deliberate, almost stubbornly so, and while the mood is consistent, it rarely escalates into anything memorable. Daisy Ridley , best known for Star Wars: The Force Awakens , carries the film as a woman searching for her missing husband who may or may not have turned into a zombie. Ridley is solid and emotionally grounded, doing the best she can with minimal dialogue and long stretches of quiet reflection. Her performance is never the problem. If anything, she is the primary reason the movie remains watchable. The supporting cast is where the film struggles. Nearly every side character is written as painfully one note, existi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Anaconda (2025)

Anaconda (2025) is a reboot comedy of the 90s film, written and directed by Tom Gormican , who previously delivered the clever and self-aware The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent . Unfortunately, that lightning does not strike twice. The core problem is simple. The jokes do not land. If horror films are judged by scares per minute, then comedies should be judged by laughs per minute, and this one delivers virtually none. Any humor that works was already burned in the trailer, leaving the film feeling empty and painfully drawn out. Jack Black , known for School of Rock and Jumanji , leans heavily into his loud, chaotic persona, but here it becomes grating rather than charming. His performance feels unchecked and repetitive, as if volume alone is meant to substitute for comedy. Instead of elevating scenes, he often drains them of momentum. Paul Rudd , who audiences know from Ant-Man and I Love You, Man , somehow comes off just as irritating. Rudd is usually likable even in weak m...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Housemaid (2025)

The Housemaid (2025) is directed by Paul Feig , best known for comedies like Bridesmaids and Freaks and Geeks , and the tonal clash is noticeable. Feig leans into slick presentation and surface-level tension, but the film never quite reconciles its thriller ambitions with its obvious messaging. As an adaptation, it feels safer and more predictable than it wants to be, especially given how clearly it telegraphs its twists. Sydney Sweeney , known for Euphoria and Anyone But You , plays a down-on-her-luck woman recently out on parole who is desperate for work. She does what she can with the role and brings some emotional weight early on, but the writing limits her range. Her character cycles through bashful and annoyed so often that it starts to feel repetitive rather than psychologically layered. Amanda Seyfried , recognizable from Mamma Mia! and Mean Girls , plays the wealthy woman whose life slowly unravels as the power dynamic flips. Seyfried is solid and more controlled than Sw...
Post a Comment
Read more