Barbie was a huge surprise in both a positive and negative way. On the upside, I was not expecting as many solid comedy moments and stellar performances by Gosling and Robbie. I was expecting the PG-13 rating to be a bit more for show but it is used to good comedic effect on a number of occasions.

The biggest surprise was how effective the marketing team behind this film was. They were not only able to elevate initial hype by tying themselves to a Nolan film, but they were also able to completely disguise what the film was about. Trailers would lead you to believe this will be a fun-loving comedy with some character moments, some heart, and a lot of nostalgia. Instead, Barbie's central theme and main plot revolve around the least nuanced take on feminism I have seen to date. I would not be surprised if this script was made by having a 10 year old girl describe the basics of patriachry to an AI, specify that it should make an over-exaggerated mean spirited narrative from it, and then have some of the most unintelligent writers in hollywood tack on a monologue for the human character at the end. That final monologue by the mother is one of the most insufferable things I have experienced in a movie theater.