My dad used to say he liked Mel Brooks movies because they made fun of everybody, meaning that no celebrity, pop culture moment, political movement, minority, or majority was spared the wrath of Brooks’ unique blend of comedy and social commentary. And it’s in this spirit that I think he would have gotten a kick out of Barbie, even though he very much fit into the same demographic as many of the fuming haters out there in conservative land. The old man liked to laugh at clever send-ups, and Barbie certainly passes muster in that regard. Lucky for us, it passes muster in a whole lot of other ways too.
By now, you’ve either seen it or heard enough about it to form an opinion, but what Greta Gerwig has done with Barbie is pretty damn spectacular. On paper, there is no way this movie should ever work, but Gerwig, with the help of a dream cast, has turned what could easily have been the next Transformers or G.I. Joe disasters into one of the most hilarious and biting social critiques of a generation. That a whole gaggle of out-of-touch and boring man-babies have taken such grave offense to it is just deliciously served gravy.
With every step, Barbie has something to say, but it never does so with mindless pandering or sloganeering. Instead of catering to the lowest common denominators, Gerwig and company take the satirical high road of institutional take-downs by poking holes in every modern and cultural institution you can think of. Yes, Barbie is a movie about patriarchy and a woman’s place within it, but contrary to what internet knuckle-draggers would have you believe, it actually takes a surprisingly pro-male stance if you allow yourself the bother of looking past their own fragility. No, Barbie is not an “anti-male” film. It’s a pro-conversation and pro-“I think we can do better as a species” one. It’s a satire about the world around us—not resting on your laurels or keeping your head in the sand when there are things around you that clearly need to change—just like the works of Mel Brooks, Sacha Baron Cohen, Christopher Guest, and Monty Python. But go ahead and cry about your masculinity, or whatever.
In short, Barbie is smart, pointed, and not afraid of anything. Its humor is meant to skewer a number of steadfastly held beliefs, and it delivers better than any comedy in recent years, “woke” or otherwise. It’s a fairy tale, a road movie, an epic love story, a science fiction allegory, and a spot-on social commentary all rolled into one. All of this on top of being the funniest movie of the year. With a fantastic cast to back her up (including Ryan Gosling, America Ferrara, Will Ferrel, Michael Cera, Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, and many more), Margot Robbie strides through Barbie on a dream horse of elegant poise, comedic naivete, historical reverence, keen self-awareness, and a sharp wit capable of cutting through even the most concrete-headed detractor. Watch it with your daughters and your sons. Your moms and your dads too.
James is a writer, record collector, wrestling nerd, and tabletop gamer living with his family in Asheville, North Carolina. He is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the North Carolina Film Critics Association, and contributes to The Daily Orca, Razorcake Magazine, Mountain Xpress, and Asheville Movies.