I can honestly say that "Barbie" is one of those movies where you either completely love it or hate it. Either way, there seems to be very little gray matter - and it's the type of film where you simply sit back and enjoy the ride. As a former Barbie connoisseur now in her 40's, I was curious how producers would carry this film. And since nothing is completely original now, I couldn't ignore the overtones similar to 1998's Pleasantville - with our female protagonist postulating the human world outside of "Barbieland". Alas, toward the third act, the movie seemed to whip into a full-fledged "Mama Mia" production and I wondered amusingly what the hell I was watching at times. There were parts that were downright silly (Ryan Gosling's performance as Ken was hilarious, but borderline over-the-top, to say the least). However, the profound messages of diversity, female empowerment, personal acceptance and loving thyself were ubiquitous (I mean, they REALLY stressed it from start to finish), and little girls across the globe should find the movie worthy of embracing. For us middle-aged moms, you'll delight in several heartfelt chuckles...not to mention the wonderful tie-ins to discontinued Barbies from our past. But once the credits role, you'll also realize one viewing is enough.
