'Barbie (2023)' truly is an accomplishment, a shockingly successful blend between a mass-appeal blockbuster and a strange slice of surreal existentialism. There isn't anything quite like it and, although it essentially serves as one giant advertisement for its eponymous doll, it feels like a genuine piece of almost outsider art with a great sense of humour and a ton of heart. It's an incredibly well-crafted feature. The cinematography, set design and costuming all hit the nail squarely on the head, to the point that the pastel plastic aesthetic of Barbieland is so compelling and so complete that it honestly feels as though the movie has become live-action once Barbie and Ken make their way to the real world (even though the flick has been live-action since its first frame). The performances help with this, too, as the actors not only throw themselves from head to toe into the absurdity needed to fully embody the unreal nature of their characters but also deliver their lines with pitch-perfect timing and genuine emotion. All the Barbies and all the Kens (and Allan) are great, but Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling truly are the stars here. The former is absolutely brilliant, nailing the emotional dichotomy of her character's mindset as she undergoes her journey, and the latter just seems as though he's having a great time, living that quintessential Ken lifestyle without an ounce of embarrassment. It's also nice to see Will Ferrell being funny again, popping up as a CEO who seems like he just might be Buddy the Elf all grown up (it's not like he ever stopped being funny, per se, but he's been in some rough movies recently), and America Ferrera is great in her more down-to-Earth yet refreshingly honest role.

Although the movie is perhaps a little unfocused at times, its important messaging rings true from beginning to end. It satirises the patriarchy and highlights its inherent ridiculousness without undermining the genuine damage it has caused and continues to cause. It is, at its heart, a wonderfully feminist film. It seems to have been made by women for women, but it's so universally affecting (not to mention fun) that it resonates with everyone in its audience (as a man, I was more than happy to be along for the ride). Furthermore, its potent feminist elements are only slightly dampened by the fact that they have been packaged into a shiny product that's easily digestible by pretty much everyone (save for the whiny babies whose typically toxic masculinity is so fragile it can actually be threatened by this deeply silly yet deeply truthful movie). The picture does pull back slightly in its third act to take a more centrist approach, which does cause this movement to ever-so-slightly lose its way. However, its nuanced take on the material still feels markedly human and, though it takes a (likely studio-mandated) safe route, the flick goes in the right direction. In fact, it arrives at its intended destination mostly unscathed, primarily thanks to its supremely emotionally resonant coda. This is actually a big win for such a big-budget blockbuster; Mattel do pat themselves on the back quite a bit with their exceedingly generous depiction, but they don't seem to have been scared of a little controversy and that's unusual for a company of their size. Using something with such wide appeal to convey feminist ideas is a good way to introduce those ideas to people perhaps unlikely to otherwise seek them out, which arguably justifies the fact that those concepts have to be slightly watered down in this context. It's almost like feminism 101, in a way. Of course, the people who need to hear this stuff the most are already out there burning Barbies at the mere thought of the picture, but those who've perhaps not thought about these things before (perfectly nice but utterly clueless boyfriends, for example) may have learnt something once the credits roll (if they're open-minded enough to allow their perception to be challenged). At the very least, the piece is prompting discussion and will make almost every woman in its audience feel seen in a way they likely haven't by a movie in quite some time.

As an aside, I'm not sure how much of the film would work for kids, and it doesn't really seem like they're even part of the intended demographic. Greta Gerwig and co are clearly more interested in unpacking what Barbie represents as a whole than they are in selling new Barbie toys to children and that's okay. Not every piece of branded media needs to cater to the youngest in its audience, and this is potentially a good way to introduce youngsters to feminism and the patriarchy (I'm not a child psychologist or a parent, though, so perhaps take that with a grain of salt).

Ultimately, this surrealist satire is an emotional rollercoaster of an experience that's as silly as it is sincere. It's just such a good time. It's delightfully camp and surprisingly profound, centred around some fantastic performances that bring to life a brilliant screenplay under some amazingly assured direction. It's enjoyable, affecting, funny, heartbreaking, poignant, affirming, exciting, absurd, intelligent, important, slightly unsettling and unlike anything else out there. It's actually something of a miracle in its own way. If you tell me you didn't cry when you watched it, I won't believe you.