21/07/23

Cineworld, Edinburgh

I was never much of a Barbie girl. In 1970s Britain, Sindy was the gal du jour, although I didn’t play with my Nurse version of her very often. Despite my indifference, the original grown-up doll – brainchild of Ruth Handler, played here by Rhea Perlman – has more than endured, securing herself a place in the cultural fabric of the western world, at once an impossible ideal and an inspiration, a symbol of toxic beauty standards and glass-ceiling-busting possibility. Barbie’s dilated body, with its uneven weight distribution, might mean that she can’t really support her head and that walking upright is near impossible, but hey, she’s a dentist, an astronaut, a mermaid – even a freakin’ president. Little girls can project a lot more onto her than they ever could onto a Tiny Tears.

And who else but Greta Gerwig could harness this wonderful contradiction and turn it into a pink-fuelled picture, as fierce and funny as it is feminist? This is a clever, sassy, two-hour romp of a movie – and, despite the relentless hype that’s preceded it, it doesn’t disappoint.

Margot Robbie’s ‘Stereotypical Barbie’ is the standard edition, the one we all think of first when we hear those two bilabial plosives. She was clearly born for the role, not just because of her particular brand of gorgeousness, but because she’s got the acting chops as well, imbuing the plastic goddess with humour, strength and vulnerability.

At first, it’s business as usual in Barbieland: the sun is shining, the beach is calling, and every night is girls’ night, with all the many iterations of Barbie just hanging out and having fun. The only doll who’s even slightly unhappy is Ken (Ryan Gosling), who’d love to spend the night with his girlfriend, even though he’s not sure why or what they’d do to pass the time. But then, out of nowhere, Barbie starts to think dark thoughts. What’s happening? Are those… tears? Before she knows it, she’s off to the Real World on what she assumes will be a simple mission to put things right. After all, she’s Barbie, isn’t she? There’s nothing she can’t achieve…

Gerwig doesn’t just walk the thin line between celebrating and critiquing Barbie: she jumps up and down on it, turning somersaults and waving cheekily. “If you love Barbie, this movie’s for you,” says the trailer. “If you hate Barbie, this movie’s for you.” It’s true.

Gosling and Robbie are both excellent comic actors, and the script – by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach – is whip smart, providing plenty of laughter as well as food for thought. The supporting cast are very good too, especially Kate McKinnon as punky outsider ‘Weird Barbie’ and America Ferrera and Ariana Greenblatt as Real World mother and daughter duo, Gloria and Sasha. Helen Mirren voices the omniscient narrator, who adds to the arch knowingness of the film, which – to my mind – is no bad thing. The choreography is as bold and vivid as any Barbie girl could wish (although perhaps the Ken dance routine overstays its welcome), but it’s the costumes and set that really linger in the memory, a series of candy floss confections, liberally dusted with glitter.

The showing we’re at is pleasingly busy, even though it’s 10 o’clock on a Friday morning. There are lots of families here, as well as couples, groups of women, and plenty of people on their own. It really is for everyone. So come on Barbie, let’s go party: dig out whatever pink stuff you have lurking in your wardrobe, and head on down to your nearest cinema.

4.6 stars

Susan Singfield