Margot Robbie

Gerwig has done the impossible by creating a movie that addresses all the reasons Barbie (who was introduced to the world in 1959 and has encouraged young girls to become everything from doctors to pilots to CEOs) is still selling globally at the rate of more than 100 per minute – yes, read that again – while, at the same time, is still being blasted for modeling a female physical ideal that can only be achieved in plastic. When the marketing blitz for Barbie first began, it was easy for everyone to roll their eyes and assume the movie would be no more than a feature-length commercial for Mattel. But then, we discovered that Gerwig was directing it and Margot Robbie was starring as Barbie and, suddenly, the potential for a subversive, feminist twist was apparent and intriguing and exciting and our collective conscience began thinking pink.

Much-hyped, candy-colored Barbie is not what I expected. I was anticipating a silly, bubble-gum pink caricature of Mattel’s iconic plastic doll. Instead, writer/director Greta Gerwig and producer/actress Margot Robbie have created a satirical comedy-adventure that cleverly exposes our sexist societal shortcomings. Back in 2018, ambitious Israeli businessman Ynon Kreiz decided to expand the Mattel franchise into movies, TV shows, stage productions and theme parks, beginning with this surreal, live-action fantasy.