Big problem in the new “Barbie” movie: Ryan Gosling

opinion

Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig, has been the subject of fierce debate since the first trailer was released. The brightly colored look does justice to the tumultuous universe surrounding the cult doll, and with Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie there are two superstars absolutely in the middle.

Of course, there is also a lot to be said about the doll itself: on the one hand, the idea behind it has feminist approaches, and on the other hand, the standard blonde Barbie promoted unrealistic ideals of beauty that still have an influence today.

First of all: you can hardly find a better leading actress than Margot Robbie (“The Wolf of Wall Street”) in film. Yet another star appears out of place in the summer blockbuster. Ryan Gosling’s performance is uncomfortable at some points.

Warning: From now on, there are slight plot spoilers for the movie. So those who prefer to be completely surprised at the cinema should be careful.

Barbie practices social criticism

The roles of women, men, and society are played out in Barbie and turned on their head, almost to the point of exhaustion. Greta Gerwig is clearly critical of patriarchal structures, but “Barbie” is in no way an anti-male movie.

Ultimately, there is the realization that one-sided power relations never lead to peaceful coexistence in the long term – which most people can probably agree on. In this regard, “Barbie” is not really suitable to cause a great deal of controversy.

However, the character of Kane, who has always been just a sidekick in the cult doll, is much more controversial. The movie even brazenly asserts that Kane is, in fact, completely irrelevant. At the same time, he has a very important role in the plot, because: without men it is difficult to tell anything about the role of women, and Kane, of course, provides for an through ball at this point, with which the director works in a completely entertaining way.

Ken problem in “Barbie”

The problem: Ryan Gosling, with his blonde hair and model good looks, is nothing but a good choice for Kane’s look. The 42-year-old made a brand for himself in 2010 with his very conservative acting, prime examples of which are “Drive” and “Blade Runner 2049”.

Some admire his mysterious aura on screen, while others describe his approach as “anti-dramatic” and don’t understand the hype.

Ryan Gosling is strong in the movie “Barbie”.Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures

However, compared to his previous films, “Barbie” now features Ryan Gosling on LSD Sometimes on inline skates, sometimes in skimpy leather outfits, there’s even a dance routine. You rarely see a Hollywood star play against their image so hard, which isn’t a bad thing at all.

On the other hand, the fact that “Barbie” reveals one of Ryan Gosling’s great weaknesses is very unfavorable: He’s not a comedian. Not with the best will in the world. It’s too vain for that. To his disadvantage, the film oscillates happily between social criticism and (slapstick) humor. Margot Robbie masters this balancing act, and Ryan Gosling usually sticks out behind her – just as is the case between Barbie and Ken.

Will Ferrell beats Ryan Gosling

In terms of the laugh factor, it’s a completely different actor who sets the accents and often makes the difference: Will Ferrell as the titular CEO of Mattel from the “real” world commands many scenes.

Interestingly, his understanding of acting runs counter to that of Ryan Gosling, as Ferrell’s plenty of expression and physical exertion is good enough, which he’s proven in several comedies.

Will Ferrell laughs a lot in Barbie. He is known for, among other things, “Buddy – The Christmas Elf” and “Anchorman”.Photo: IMAGO/Matrix

On a positive note, that means no scene is too silly for him, and he really gets into it. In a movie like Barbie, “by nature” fits in much better than Ryan Gosling, for the 56-year-old it’s remarkably homey.

The movie “Barbie” is a schizophrenic movie

Also thanks to Will Ferrell, “Barbie” never gets boring, but the movie leaves a strange aftertaste: it’s not deep enough to make you think and it doesn’t set any new feminist accents either.

People who love doll can make something out of the bar just like people who enjoyed burning Barbie doll when they were kids. The world of shimmering pink, on the other hand, is seen ironically and mocked, yet of course it is the Mattel group that benefits from the income. If you can live with the fact that “Barbie” isn’t really consistent on any level, you should still enjoy the pink hustle on screen.