Rating: 5/5 stars

The official trailer for “Barbie” dropped April 4 and its attention to detail has everyone talking. Just under two minutes long, it has over 18 million views and 10,000 comments on the Warner Bros. YouTube page. 

The Beach Boys’ (“Surfin’ U.S.A.”) hit song “Fun, Fun, Fun” plays while Barbie (Margot Robbie, “I, Tonya”) goes about her day in Barbie Land. Everything is pink, perfect and plastic right down to Barbie’s perfectly arched feet as she steps out of a fluffy pair of heels. The best part is, none of the mystery has been spoiled even after copious amounts of Barbies and Kens being announced. Two dolls from the ‘60s era, Pregnant Midge (Emerald Fennell, “The Danish Girl”) and Allen (Michael Cera, “The Adults”) are part of it much to the delight of Barbie lore keepers. 

The cast is absolutely huge and of course encrusted with stars, because this is not just any Barbie movie. It is the first live action iteration after dozens and dozens of CGI animated DVDs. It is also years in the making, as it was first announced back in 2009 by Universal Pictures. Many studio and cast changeovers occurred before it was finally settled that Greta Gerwig (“Little Women”) would be directing the film.

All that is known right now about the plot is that Barbie is “exiled” from Barbie Land for being a “less than perfect-looking doll,” according to IMDb. She sets off for the human world and Ken (Ryan Gosling, “The Gray Man”) tags along. Wherever they are going, rollerblades are apparently a must. Due to its PG-13 MPAA rating, this may not be a movie for 5-year-olds but it also will not be “dark” or “gritty” in any way. Barbie is not on a quest to commit crime or become a tyrannical overlord, though that would be the twist of a lifetime.

The entire trope of taking something sweet and nostalgic and turning it into something grotesque and horrific has gotten rather worn out in recent years. More “fun in the sun” movies need to make their way back into the mainstream and there is no better catalyst than “Barbie.” The whole thing gives off “Enchanted” vibes, so maybe Barbie and Ken will have a wacky time adjusting to the real world and meet a character who needs more beach and sun in their life. Barbie has had every career imaginable and it will be interesting to see her become something else: human and imperfect. “Barbie” will likely teach us an important life lesson in a more complex way than any Barbie movie has before, one that kids and adults can enjoy.

Margot Robbie has already done plenty of serious films playing tough characters and now is a great time for her to be in a more lighthearted role. At the time of writing this, the internet is split in half over whether Ryan Gosling is too old to play Ken. The haters are wrong because Gosling’s delivery of “because we’re boyfriend-girlfriend” in the trailer was spot on for Ken’s character. Needless to say, “Barbie” is going to smash the box office and how she does it will be the best summer treat of them all.

Image from Warner Bros. Pictures via YouTube