Visually,Barbieland is a throwback to the era of Technicolor musicals.It boasts painted backdrops and meticulous set and costume design – if Barbie doesn’t win the Oscar for costume design next year,I’ll eat my hat (Barbie-sized). But Gerwig is constrained by the fact that Barbie’s world was only ever an idealised miniature of mid-20th-century America. Decades later and this is the nearest to an Eden that can be conceived by a Hollywood director:a very pink suburbia,ruled by the competent.
For the sake of plot,some shadows must intrude. Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie),to give her full name,is troubled by thoughts of mortality. Her previously arched feet,which fit perfectly into her high-heeled shoes,have collapsed,causing consternation among both the Barbies and the Kens. She seeks counsel from Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon,having a great time),who lays out the state of things.
On the other side of Barbieland,in the real world,are humans who are playing with their Barbies. A Barbie who is played with “too hard” by her human,like Weird Barbie with her scribbled-on face and punk hair,starts to develop symptoms here in Barbieland. Go forth then,Barbie,and find who is hurting you. Set your world – and the human world – to rights.
But first,a word on the Kens. Ah,the Kens. There are many,many Kens,including Ken number one,Stereotypical Barbie’s stereotypical sidekick,played by Ryan Gosling in full himbo mode. Ken is blond,waxed and gormless;his job title is “Beach”. He spends his Ken days diving into fake waves and posing on fake sand. Ken is a little frustrated by the fact that every night at Barbie’s Dreamhouse is a girls’ night in,with no place for him. Still,he lives (as much as a doll can live) for Barbie.
Barbie is good:the whole point of Barbie is that she is good. She’s every Good Witch and Sugar Plum Fairy melted down and poured out again into a perfect mould. But Ken is ridiculous,and the actors shine accordingly. Robbie carries the film but Gosling steals it,with a great deal of help from the script,which gives Ken all the best jokes,an extended musical number,and the most interesting character arc. Villains – or a wanna-be villain,in this case – have the most fun.