Barbie is Gerwig-Lite: just far too self-aware for its own good, to the point where it feels like it was written explicitly to impress critics. Gerwig and Baumbach parrot out every single intersectional feminist talking point in the book in an effort to communicate to the audience, "Hey, we're aware of the philosophical complexities of this issue but we're still having fun!" Which, fine, but Gerwig has already probed the question of what it means to be a woman much more meaningfully in her previous films without the kind of extratextual baggage this resorts to; political astuteness doesn't make for very entertaining or memorable film dialogue.
Also, I long for the (often hinted-at) version of this movie that critiques the toxicity and shortcomings of corporate feminism instead of basically endorsing it wholeheartedly (although I guess the ending sort of posits it as "not for everyone" but again, you see my point as to how overwritten this is). The production design and costumes are colorful and intricate but feel too safe, the soundtrack is rife with bland focus-group pop, and the whole thing has that weird plasticky look and feel to it that all Hollywood movies post-COVID seem to have. (I suppose "plastic" is appropriate for a movie about America's favorite doll, but I watched some of The Thin Red Line after getting home from the theater and felt myself ache for a time when humans were able to make beautiful-looking movies). It's indeed as fun and cute and peppy as everyone's said it is, but it could have been so much more.
Major points deducted for uncalled-for digs at Pavement and The Godfather (plenty of women love both!!)
Also, I long for the (often hinted-at) version of this movie that critiques the toxicity and shortcomings of corporate feminism instead of basically endorsing it wholeheartedly (although I guess the ending sort of posits it as "not for everyone" but again, you see my point as to how overwritten this is). The production design and costumes are colorful and intricate but feel too safe, the soundtrack is rife with bland focus-group pop, and the whole thing has that weird plasticky look and feel to it that all Hollywood movies post-COVID seem to have. (I suppose "plastic" is appropriate for a movie about America's favorite doll, but I watched some of The Thin Red Line after getting home from the theater and felt myself ache for a time when humans were able to make beautiful-looking movies). It's indeed as fun and cute and peppy as everyone's said it is, but it could have been so much more.
Major points deducted for uncalled-for digs at Pavement and The Godfather (plenty of women love both!!)
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