If forgotten, Ryan Gosling started off in the mickey mouse club. Important to remember because wow what a talented individual. Recent memory sees him leading roles that require a more stoic subdued approach, and it can be easy to miss his range. Barbie seeks to utilize all his acting muscles, and to a resounding success. He can sing, dance, act, and do comedy.

It wouldn't be totally outrageous to suggest he is the star of the movie. Of course, he is one of the stars, but I would posit he is THE star of Barbie's movie.

I was left wondering if the Ken story arc was the stronger theme of the film. Overall, I felt an absurdist philosophy underlined the film. There was a feminist message, sure, but it wasn't as nuanced as Ken's perspective on the patriarchy. At one point, Gosling's Ken quips "When I found out patriarchy wasn't about horses, I lost interest."

Ken's attitude speaks to the idea that most likely the majority of men could care less about a patriarchy or how the world works. They're on the ride like everyone else and playing a role in the fantasy of getting a gal to look there way. In essence, the reality is Ken is only Ken in relation to Barbie being Barbie and the truth is everyone is an Allan.