‘Barbie’ Review: Margot Robbie And Ryan Gosling Smash The Patriarchy In Greta Gerwig’s Charming Comedy

I didn’t realize going in just how much of a feminist paean Barbie was going to be. Perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised: This is a movie aimed at girls, after all. And while it’s a celebration of the Barbie doll, it’s also a critique of the society that made such an unrealistic, idealized version of the female form so popular.

This, of course, has drummed up controversy. The movie has been called “woke” by more than a few YouTubers, Fox News hosts and various other cultural critics who wash their mouths out with soap after uttering the word ‘feminist.’ I think the reactions are overblown, even if the movie certainly doesn’t shy away from its girl power themes.