Reviews

Not a fan. Went in with fairly high expectations but was let down by the emptiness of it all. Sure, it has a solid message of empowerment of women but why is it so boring? Will Farrell was visibly strained trying to make something of his underwritten and unfunny part. Margo Robbie didn't have enough to do for much of the film. Only Ryan Gosling had a complete character arc. I had two central problems: first, I had no idea this was such an infomercial for Mattel which never fails to get their logo into nearly every frame, even during the end credits. If someone in the company had written the first draft, I would have believed it. Second, the "rules" of this made-up world were vague and constantly changing. The filmmakers ripped off Wes Anderson's settings but didn't comprehend the unity in his designs, stories, and performances. Wes Anderson always feels like he's about to break the fourth wall but never does. "Barbie" kept breaking it over and over so that it was near impossible to fully immerse yourself in its world. I'm glad for a female director to now be empowered, but I would have liked to see a much more coherent vision.

Everyone talks about the 4 minute single take opening, which was remarkable for the time, but there is an even more impressive cinematic marvel that occurs about 39 minutes into the film. It is the apartment of Sanchez, the shoe clerk, and the shot runs for 5 minutes and 23 seconds without a cut. There are over 20 different camera set-ups within this one scene, smoothly flowing from one to another to another. Supposedly this was the only locale in the film that was a studio set and that helped pull off the coordination of so many elements. Considering how much exposition, character set-up, and drama is on display in this one shot, it's the real gem.

The ignorance of the bad reviews is disheartening. This is masterfully made in all respects and aspects. I've not been a big Denzel fan in the past, but he's fantastic. Yet so many complain it's in black and white, or that they don't understand the text, or that there is no Spider-Man. Give me a break.

See those images of Frances McDormand walking thru a bleak sunset landscape? There are dozens and dozens of those shots. They make up the bulk of the film, as if the makers were thrilled with "Days of Heaven" and it's minimalist photography. But that film at least had two characters to interact for a story to develop. This film is basically a solo effort where we are to get character, motivation, inner thoughts all from McDormand's face in closeup. This could have been a "Grapes of Wrath" type of film, based on its subject matter and milieu. However, you know what motivated the Joads, but McDormand's character offers very little insight as to what drives her

We've watched this show from the beginning through cast and crew changes but this is awful. It all falls on the shoulders of the cinematographer. It'd be nice to see the performances, to know what (and who) are in a scene. Dreadful dark and dreary looking. Shame.

The acting is fine, the story okay, but apart from some appropriate source music from the era, the musical score is dreadful. It's like music being piped in from the theater next door showing a Disney film or some old fashioned sweeping romance. The music takes you right out of the otherwise dramatic moments. The actors deserved better

If I recall correctly, the main character used to address the camera at some point to tell the audience, "Remember, there are people who will slap you on the back with one hand, and pick your pocket with the other!"

What were any of these people thinking? How did anyone show up on the second day of filming?

Nice to see the old gang, but OMG, what hath Milch wrought? The characters have all the same dialogue now, the words of Shakespeare and the syntax of Yoda.

This may have a great, emotional ending, but to get to it you have to endure some of the slowest scenes in a movie. I just couldn't get through the stilted dialogue and non-pro acting. The first 20-30 minutes kept putting me to sleep so I bailed.

What might have made an interesting article does not make an interesting movie. This is a snooze from start to finish. Eastwood plays himself in the same way his daughter plays herself. There's little story, poor characterization. Glad we didn't pay to see it in a theater

Wow. Great potential wasted on a movie that could have been made by Ed Wood. There is not a moment of this film that rings true - until the documentary footage at the end. I wanted to walk out after 20 minutes