For someone whoB次元官网网址檚 11.5 inches tall and weighs under 8 ounces, poor BarbieB次元官网网址檚 had to carry an awfully heavy load over the years on that slender, plastic back of hers.

Welcomed as a trailblazer in 1959 B次元官网网址� An adult doll! With actual breasts! B次元官网网址� she was nonetheless branded an anti-feminist a decade later when womenB次元官网网址檚 rights marchers chanted B次元官网网址淚 Am Not a Barbie Doll,B次元官网网址� referring to her unrealistic body type (and perhaps ignoring the fact that she was single, a homeowner and a career woman).

As years went by, Barbie had her hits (adopting a more inclusive body type, running for president) and misses (exclaiming B次元官网网址淢ath class is TOUGH!B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� ouch). Through it all, this lightning rod in tiny pink heels remained uniquely talented at reinventing herself.

Which is why it makes sense that now, writer-director Greta Gerwig takes Barbie in more than one direction B次元官网网址� in every direction, really B次元官网网址� in her brash, clever, idea-packed (if ultimately TOO packed) and most of all, eye-poppingly lovely the brandB次元官网网址檚 first live action movie.

Is it a celebratory homage to Barbie and her history? Yes. Also a cutting critique, and biting satire? Yes, too.

The film is co-produced by Mattel, and they must have felt skittish about some elements B次元官网网址� perhaps not Will FerrellB次元官网网址檚 reliably buffoonish Mattel CEO, but a far more serious scene where a young girl accuses Barbie of making girls feel bad about themselves.

The movieB次元官网网址檚 also about gender dynamics, mothers and daughters, insidious sexism B次元官网网址� and more.

But the neatest trick is how B次元官网网址淏补谤产颈别,B次元官网网址� starring a pitch-perfect Margot Robbie B次元官网网址� and after a minute youB次元官网网址檒l never be able to imagine anyone else doing it B次元官网网址� can simultaneously and smoothly both mock and admire its source material. Gerwig deftly threads that needle, even if the film sags in its second half under the weight of its many ideas and some less-than-developed character arcs.

In any case, boy B次元官网网址� or should we say, girl B次元官网网址� life in plastic looks fantastic.

A head-spinning opening credits sequence begins with a Barbie history lesson, narrated by Helen Mirren. Then itB次元官网网址檚 off to Barbie Land, where Barbie lives in her flamingo-pink Dreamhouse, surrounded by other Barbies in theirs.

Other Barbies? Well, we know how many Barbie versions exist on store shelves, and Gerwig and her writing (and life) partner Noah Baumbach take this one step further: If theyB次元官网网址檙e all Barbies, that means B次元官网网址淏arbieB次元官网网址� is all of THEM. ThereB次元官网网址檚 no one Barbie B次元官网网址� although Robbie, who plays Stereotypical Barbie (and also produced the film), is the focal point.

And every dayB次元官网网址檚 perfect for Stereotypical Barbie, who wakes in her heart-shaped bed, waves to neighbor Barbies, and heads to the shower, which is dry (thereB次元官网网址檚 no actual water, wind, sun or gravity in Barbie Land.)

Her dayB次元官网网址檚 outfit awaits, perhaps a Chanel number, protected by shiny plastic as in a Barbie box. Then she swoops down her hot pink slide to the pool-with-no-water. The sky above is painted blue, the mountains purple. Gerwig was inspired by old soundstage musicals. Architectural Digest even did a piece on the house.

Equally stunning is B次元官网网址淏eachB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� a place, and also the name of KenB次元官网网址檚 career. (Sorry Ken, we should have mentioned you before the 11th paragraph, but we had so much to say about Barbie). The beach is also apparently where Ken lives, because, have you ever heard of KenB次元官网网址檚 house?

In any case, a very blond Ryan Gosling gleefully chews the scenery B次元官网网址� or, inhales it B次元官网网址� and is never better than when conveying KenB次元官网网址檚 forced enthusiasm with an edge of desperation plus a sprinkle of menace. Also, when dancing.

Speaking of dancing, one night at BarbieB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址済iant blowout party,B次元官网网址� she suddenly starts thinking about B次元官网网址� death. The next morning she has bad breath, and OMG, her famously arched feet go flat! Also gravity happens, so she falls off her house.

After consulting with Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon B次元官网网址� who else?) Barbie heads to LA to solve a tear in the boundary between Real World and Barbie Land, singing the Indigo GirlsB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淐loser to Fine,B次元官网网址� her signature road song. (The filmB次元官网网址檚 features Dua Lipa, Nicki Minaj, HAIM, Lizzo, Billie Eilish, and many others.) There, she and Ken encounter a world with a wrinkle: Men have the upper hand. No all-female Supreme Court here! Hmm, thinks Ken.

On the run from Mattel, Barbie encounters Gloria (America Ferrera), mother of tween Sasha, who has mixed feelings about Barbie, not to mention Mom. In her spare time, Gloria sketches ideas for new Barbies B次元官网网址� as in Thoughts of Impending Death Barbie (not to be confused with Depression Barbie.)

Gloria helps rescue Barbie and also proves of crucial help when they later discover that Ken and the other Kens B次元官网网址� Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir and others B次元官网网址� are up to no good.

ThereB次元官网网址檚 so much more, and weB次元官网网址檙e over our word limit B次元官网网址� which may just be the feeling Gerwig had when trying to fit her ideas under two hours. And all her actors: It wouldB次元官网网址檝e been great to see more Issa Rae as President Barbie, Emerald Fennell as pregnant, discontinued Midge, and Michael Cera as Allan-who-can-wear-KenB次元官网网址檚-clothes. In any case, the snappy pace starts to lag.

Not to discount FerreraB次元官网网址檚 eloquent monologue, in which Gloria educates newly conscious Barbie about the landmines women face trying to navigate social rules that donB次元官网网址檛 seem to apply to men, like how to be a mom and also a professional, the need to be B次元官网网址渢hinB次元官网网址� but call it B次元官网网址渉ealthy,B次元官网网址� and other things.

And if, Gloria concludes, all this is true for a doll just trying to represent a woman B次元官网网址� what does that mean for the rest of us? Which is, perhaps, the essential Barbie dilemma B次元官网网址� sheB次元官网网址檚 always been judged by rather impossible standards.

Nevertheless, she persists. All 11.5 inches of her. And now sheB次元官网网址檚 Movie Star Barbie.

B次元官网网址淏补谤产颈别,B次元官网网址� a Warner Bros. Pictures release, has been rated PG-13 B次元官网网址渇or suggestive references and brief language.B次元官网网址� Running time: 114 minutes. Three stars out of four.

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