Barbie (2023): Okay, Let's Talk About Ken...

Okay, so I finally saw Barbie. And I'm… processing. Visually, it’s stunning. Like, I'm still trying to figure out how they made Barbie Land look simultaneously fake and incredibly appealing. Margot Robbie? Perfection. She nailed that 'having-a-crisis-but-still-trying-to-smile' thing that is basically the Barbie brand. But can we talk about Ryan Gosling as Ken? Seriously, he stole the show. That 'I am Kenough' bit? Iconic. My theatre erupted. What struck me most was the exploration of Ken's identity. For SO long, he's just an accessory. The movie actually grapples with that disposability and what happens when someone realizes they don't have an inherent purpose. The scene where he starts discovering patriarchy and brings it back to Barbie Land, thinking he's doing something good? Hysterical, but also… kind of insightful? It's a commentary on fragile masculinity packaged in a ridiculously pink, glitter-covered shell. I didn't expect that level of depth from a Barbie movie, tbh. I'm still debating how I feel about the ending. It felt a tad rushed, especially with America Ferrera's character. Her monologue was powerful, no doubt, but it kinda felt… shoehorned in? Like they realized they needed a 'message' and just slapped it on at the last minute. Still, I think it works overall, but it's more of a 'good' movie overall than a 'great' movie. Final thought: Go see it. If not for the sheer spectacle, then for Ken's existential angst. You won't regret it. Let me know what you guys think, especially about the ending... I'm curious if anyone else felt the same way. Also, anyone else think Simu Liu was criminally underused?!