Barbie (2023)

Gerwig’s blockbuster is stranger and more fascinating than its marketing suggests, delivering a gorgeously weird event that leans into emotional core over heavy-handed feminism. Robbie and Gosling’s performances embody the plastic fantasy while the film’s gender essentialism draws some criticism.

The critic finds Barbie a profound, silly, moving and smart existential study that exceeds expectations for a toy-based studio film. They single out the emotional depth around themes of identity, motherhood and the human condition, particularly in the film's later acts and a key Billie Eilish montage.

The critic calls the film a camp, wacky, unmitigated delight that fights the patriarchy in high heels while remaining vibrant, tongue-in-cheek and warm-hearted. She singles out its novelty in adapting a corporate toy franchise into something that feels like art, with standout performances from Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.

The critic finds the film a clever, subversive satire that succeeds as both a toy commercial and a feminist statement. She singles out the witty script and performances, particularly Ryan Gosling's Ken, for praise.

The critic hails Gerwig's clever script for delivering laughs and social commentary without alienating audiences. He singles out the inventive visual style and Gosling's scene-stealing performance as highlights of this pink-hued blockbuster.

The critic praises the film's witty subversion of expectations, its meta commentary, and standout comic performances from Margot Robbie and especially Ryan Gosling as Ken. Minor issues with ensemble balance and toy-movie constraints are noted, but overall it is seen as an ambitious, entertaining blockbuster.

Director Greta Gerwig has created a delightful, barmy pink-blush comedy-musical that is this summer’s must-see. The deft smuggling of ideas about gender and perfection into a bubble-gum blockbuster without preachiness is praised.

Gerwig’s playful comedy is a pop opera of kitschy joys and biting satire that celebrates and skewers the Barbie brand simultaneously. Margot Robbie’s pure joy as the lead is highlighted as the film’s exhilarating, unabashedly feminine heart.

Gerwig’s day-glo comedy gives Mattel the last laugh as Robbie and Gosling’s double-act blends infectious wit with a look at the gap between Barbie’s sold vision of femininity and real adult choices. The execution impresses despite the corporate tie-in.

The critic calls it an exuberant, clever comic fantasy that promotes and deconstructs its brand, praising Robbie's sincere performance, Gosling's comedic turn, and Gerwig's witty direction.

In Gerwig’s confident hands the film becomes a feminist call to arms wrapped in an entertaining popcorn movie, with existential crisis Barbie struggling to understand womanhood. Margot Robbie’s layered performance and the acerbic message delivered through powder-pink pep are singled out.

The critic finds Gerwig's Barbie an original, self-mocking blockbuster that avoids a biting critique of Mattel but succeeds through its kitschy tone and the lead performances. Robbie and Gosling's committed work is singled out for keeping the film afloat despite some grating elements in the script.

Gerwig’s reinvention of the doll is a riotously entertaining candy-coloured feminist fable that celebrates, satirises and deconstructs its subject. Robbie and Gosling carry the film through its dismantling of male power and meta gags about patriarchy and Mattel.

The film delivers the fun but fudges the politics in a tricky balancing act of corporate fealty and subversion. It is driven by jokes that poke light fun at Mattel and gesture at the contradictions of sexist society, with pleasure always in the details of its pink fever dream production design.

The review sees the film as fun but fragmented and a disappointment compared to Gerwig's prior work, criticizing its uneven balance between satire, corporate promotion, and feminist themes while highlighting Gosling's standout performance.

The critic finds the film enjoyable yet limited in the depth it can bring to branded material, praising its visual style and performances while noting constraints on emotional resonance.

We shouldn’t have to grade Barbie on a curve just because it is based on a toy line. It is still very much a Gerwig movie with worthwhile aspects like Margot Robbie’s performance, but the writing feels like a lark and the impulse to focus on what it got away with under corporate auspices feels unfair to the director.

Gerwig turns corporate IP into a magic trick of a film that is giddy, silly, hilarious, and life-affirming. The script delivers a clear message while showcasing strong performances and tonal balance.

Barbie is a sharp, hilarious and joy-contagious satire of gender roles that is as deliciously stupid as it is bright. The critic highlights the pitch-perfect casting, fabulous soundtrack and self-conscious humour, calling it a delight and a miracle as a big-budget female-focused comedy.

The critic hails it as an uproarious existential adventure and one of the best films of the year, exceeding expectations as Gerwig’s best yet. They single out the meticulous world-building and production design that captures the delight of childhood play, along with Ryan Gosling’s complex and sympathetic performance as Ken.

The critic calls it an existential and electrifying comedy that cements Greta Gerwig’s status as a master storyteller. They single out the inventive world-building in Barbieland and the blend of fizzy summer blockbuster fun with deeper themes on gender, identity, and imagination.

Gerwig delivers a shrewd, bitingly brilliant and soulful feminist statement that rethinks the doll's iconography with heart, ambition and complex commentary on womanhood. Robbie and Gosling are perfectly cast in a funny, heartfelt film elevated by a standout monologue on the impossible contradictions of being a woman.

Greta Gerwig turns the Barbie concept into a hilarious and emotionally surprising comedy that explores womanhood, perfection, and patriarchy without feeling like a commercial. The standout element is the tremendous lead performances by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, who bring depth and humor to the plastic characters.

The critic finds Barbie a surprisingly profound film that balances comedy, commentary, and camp while exploring identity and societal structures. They praise the performances, especially Robbie and Gosling, and the production design, but note shortcomings in handling characters of color and some filler scenes.

Gerwig's satirical comedy-adventure is a nuanced, rose-tinted take that rips into sexist societal shortcomings while living up to the hype. The critic singles out the very funny script, excellent performances (especially Gosling as Ken) and clever self-aware balance between commercial and subversive elements.

Gerwig's Barbie is an ambitious, funny and thought-provoking but uneven mix of ideas that feels like several films squished together. The critic praises the subversive take on the brand and the standout performances, especially Ryan Gosling as Ken.

Gerwig's inventive and visually stunning adaptation is often smart and funny with a wondrous performance from Ryan Gosling as Ken. The critic notes that the film does not entirely convince, with later sections stalling for speeches and feeling less effective.

The critic praises Greta Gerwig’s Barbie as a colourful, hilarious and heartfelt movie with excellent performances from Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. It weaves a smart, astute, and hilariously funny story about feminism, the difficulties and expectations tied to existing as a woman, and the patriarchy, while being incredibly joyful.