At the announcement ofa feature film Barbie live actionwe had reason to be intrigued as the doll of Mattel is anchored in popular culture and known to all, having moreover benefited from a multitude of animated adaptations since the beginning of the 2000s. Already convinced by the tone of the trailers, we therefore decided to go to a preview in VOSTFR of this film distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and directed by Greta Gerwig, who also co-wrote the screenplay with her husband Noah Baumbach. A little bomb in sight? This mainstream comedy certainly did not leave us indifferent!
Good feelgood entertainment delivering strong messages through caustic satirical humour.
The first minutes of Barbie immediately set the tone by introducing a narrator (Helen Mirren) explaining to us in outline the origins of the character and her idyllic world which is Barbie Land with a staging that immediately makes you smile. Indeed, although relying on the real genesis of the doll, Greta Gerwig has here added a whimsical component to the service of the messages she wanted to deliver, playing on our consented suspension of disbelief. Understand by this that you just have to accept this fact without trying to tie a knot in your brain, especially when it comes to the passage between the two realities and everything related to products. Mattel. Everything is perfect at Barbie Landat least for the Barbie who hold all the important positions and believe that little girls are happy because of them, whose every day is ideal from sunrise to sunset. Besides the profusion of pink and acid colors, the originality of this world is that it is based on the toys of the brand, starting with the Dream house of Barbie. The attention to detail is remarkable in terms of artistic direction, enough to delight connoisseurs.
We therefore follow the Barbie Stereotypical embodied by the busty Margot Robbie, who rubs shoulders with a plethora of other Barbie such as the president (Issa Rae) or a Nobel Prize in physics (Emma Mackey), a Midge (Emerald Fennell) and a allan (Michael Cera), but also multiple Ken (Kingsley Ben-Adir, Ncuti Gatwa), including that of handsome Ryan Gosling which “beach” (the play on words in English with the term “beach” also meaning “to fail” appears to be perfectly intentional). Despite his good looks, he’s just a good buddy friendzoner while he is transfixed by her and nurtures an amusing rivalry with the Ken by Simu Liu. This fantastic life all in plastic will however be turned upside down following a dance party, whena morbid thought crosses the mind of Barbie. The next day, she wakes up disheveled like this, the water in her shower is not at the right temperature (note that no liquid comes out of it, reinforcing the toy aspect), she falls violently instead of floating in the air. air and, to make matters worse, now has flat feet and cellulite! So she decides to go see the eccentric Weird Barbie by Kate McKinnon, whom we adored, which depicts dolls abused by their owner. Without spoilerthe latter will explain to him thatshe has to go to the Real world if she wants everything to be okaywith a passing reference to Matrix well felt and it is far from being the only nod to the portfolio of Warner Bros. Discoverysome being particularly incisive.
It is therefore initially a isekai inverted which is proposed to us, with Ken following Barbie in this rather crazy reality that is ours where men have the power. We won’t say more about the rest of the plot which unfolds efficiently and without downtime for 1h54, but it is impossible not to talk about one of the major themes of the feature film which is the legitimate questioning of patriarchy and therefore the place of women in society, but also that of men. Overall, everything goes through humor, so unless you have a rather fragile ego and don’t want to recognize the feminist struggle, you should laugh heartily when a stereotype is gently debunked, or at least sketch a smile. This was the case in our room, the public having even applauded during the credits. Subtlety is not especially required, making the message very clear and distinctnotably through a long and eloquent monologue by Gloria (America Ferrera) and some murderous lines from the young Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt). It also goes through the excellent acting of Will Ferrell, a CEO of Mattel who with his associates takes for his rank in a rather burlesque way, like during a lunar chase sequence. The action scenes strictly speaking are quite rare, but are not lacking in interest to show the character of the protagonists, including a little battle that could well have come straight from the imagination of a toddler playing with his Action Man.
Ryan Gosling is he royal in Ken, his character serving to show that men are themselves victims of the system in addition to illustrating the ravages of emotional dependence. Multifaceted, his interpretation is not just limited to his lines since the actor gives voice while singing Just Ken and dance with the rest of the cast. Eh yes, more than a simple satire, the feature film takes the form of a musical from the first minutes, with choreographies and songs supporting the words without breaking the rhythm, quite the contrary. The eclectic soundtrack brings together many artists from the international scene, including Billie Eilish with What Was I Made For?which nicely encapsulates the theme of the quest for identity also addressed. As for Margot Robbie, this role of Barbie was simply made for her as she shines on the screen, both funny and touching. The resolution of its narrative arc pleasantly surprised us… until the final scene, leaving us doubtful about the message it delivers. Finally, special mention to the role of Rhea Perlman, who delivers a touching and expected scene.
Even if his scenario does not claim to be exceptional, this feature film Barbie by Greta Gerwig is good entertainment feelgood who manages without difficulty to deliver strong messages through caustic satirical humora reflection of our current society through the prism of a sexagenarian doll, whose image has become a symbol.
Note : 3.5 out of 5 stars
If you are convinced by your viewing, know that the Barbie Blu-ray is already available pre-order on Amazon.
| Alexandre SAMSON (Omega Law) Responsible Corrector – Editor | ||
| Addicted to Assassin’s Creed and Destiny, great fan of RPGs and passionate about video game experiences in general. Reader of comics (DC) and various manga (One Piece!). Chemist by training and Whovian at heart. | ||
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