When the trailer for the new Barbie film dropped all those months ago it looked like something that was going to be offbeat and a lot of fun.

And it (mostly) was!

The film walks a fantastically executed tightrope between what makes the doll loveable to some and ludicrous to others. So it doesn’t really matter if you love her, don’t, or are somewhere in the middle – there will be enjoyment for you to find. For most of the film I couldn’t help but laugh my way through.

Initially I did have some concerns that this film might end up being a long advertisement for Mattel, like how ‘Air’ was received for Nike. This fortunately isn’t the case, although I can see that Mattel will get a positive response which will no doubt mean an increase in profits. There are probably a few exceptions to this statement, one scene which jumps to mind is where some of Barbie’s accessories are shown in an advertorial way and I’m not quite sure if this is poking fun at the way these used to/are advertised to children.

What I enjoyed about the film is that it is more than just light entertainment, there are levels to Barbie that would warrant a re-watch to pick up on the nuances. At times I felt that what was left unspoken was just as impactful as the carefully crafted dialogue delivered. The use of humour to make you laugh at something with dark undertones was effective.

Yet something changed towards the end of the film which felt like a gear change. I haven’t been able to pinpoint the exact issue, but it does feel like the conclusion of the film is somewhat of a letdown. I wouldn’t say that the whole second half is weak, just somewhere along the line it was a bit of a fizzle out. Especially after charging out of the gate so strong.

Perhaps the runtime was a bit long, perhaps too much content was pre-released, perhaps I just need another viewing. This is just the way it made me feel in the moment as the credits rolled.

I found the ending quite strange (and I don’t mean the final line, although I’m not sure the joke landed that well, especially in our cinema) which is a bizarre thing to say, given that I was onboard for the fantasy storyline from the beginning! Having had a bit more time to reflect I think that the message being sent is that living in a ‘perfect’ world isn’t something that makes you happy and likely isn’t so perfect afterall. It’s the ups and downs of everyday life that make you feel more than just wanting things to be the same forever. And if that’s the case, I’m all on board.

All that being said, there really is a lot to like about the film. I touched on it earlier but it is a great script with a lot of laughs, even if some of the jokes hit a little too close to home (cue Mr. Darcy). It had a great soundtrack and a great look up on the big screen.

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling are both excellent in their roles of Barbie and Ken that I cannot imagine any other actors bringing these roles to life. I thoroughly enjoyed Barbie going through an existential crisis and the fight scene between the Kens was pure perfection!

And of course my favourite group were the weird and discontinued Barbies and Kens! Kate McKinnon – who is called Weird Barbie behind her back and to her face – was an absolute delight and plays an integral role to the plot. It was also amusing to see Magic Earring Ken as I had one of those Kens growing up.

America Ferrera was also a stand-out in what is an all star cast that I simply can’t reflect on everyone individually.

I will be giving this film another chance once it is available to stream (in my Mojo Dojo Casa House), as it did feel like a lot was going on and I’ll be interested to see if I have another perspective down the track.