Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling and Issa Rae in the Greta Gerwig movie ‘Barbie’

Based on the Mattel fashion dolls bearing the name Barbie, the Greta Gerwig directed movie Barbie (2023) rings in a new year in movie reviews for Matt Lynn Digital. Written by Gerwig with Noah Baumbach, this live-action movie follows dolls and into Barbieland with a crossing over into the real world and back.

(From left, America Ferrera as Gloria, Margot Robbie as Barbie, aka Stereotypical Barbie, and Ariana Greenblatt as Sasha in the Greta Gerwig movie Barbie).

The character Barbie, also known as Stereotypical Barbie to distinguish from other Barbie characters in Barbieland, opens the movie living a seemingly charmed life as portrayed by Margot Robbie. Barbie lives among different versions of Barbie, Kens and discontinued models of dolls treated as examples of lesser versions of the Barbie dream, namely her as the character children play with at will.

(Ryan Gosling as Ken, aka Beach Ken in the Greta Gerwig movie Barbie).

Ken, also known as Beach Ken, was portrayed by Ryan Gosling. As with Barbie, other versions of the doll are present among the props for Stereotypical Barbie to enjoy her land. Like his counterpart, other actors/actresses inhabit Barbie and Ken in Barbieland. Ken longs for love from Barbie in the land, wherein Barbie gets to have fun at will while Ken drifts away without a real sense of love from Barbie, who is so focused on her own happiness that she cannot bring herself to see the needs for love and other fulfillment that Ken needs.

(Issa Rae as President Barbie in the Greta Gerwig movie Barbie).

Inspired by drawings of dark realities as created by Mattel employee Gloria, portrayed by America Ferrera, Stereotypical Barbie begins to experience human imperfections that come with growing older. First, Stereotypical Barbie turns to Weird Barbie as portrayed by Kate McKinnon for support and guidance. Stereotypical Barbie agrees to driver her convertible into the real world, leaving President Barbie as portrayed by Issa Rae, behind. The point of entering the real world is to locate the child who most likely had prompted the feelings of loss that Stereotypical Barbie had only recently experienced begun to feel.

(Kate McKinnon as Weird Barbie in the Greta Gerwig movie Barbie).

Beach Ken most certainly enters the real world at the same time Stereotypical Barbie enters the real world. While Ken comes to learn some things about his own journey in the real world, Stereotypical Barbie first meets Sasha, the daughter of Mattel employee Gloria. Stereotypical Barbie further meets Ruth Handler, the co-founder of Mattel, and in the CEO of Mattel. Sasha, Handler and the CEO were portrayed by Ariana Greenblatt, Rhea Perlman and Will Ferrell, respectively. The experiences Stereotypical Barbie, Beach Ken and the others take back to Barbieland have real effects in the real world and Barbieland that threaten to change things uncomfortably for Barbie, Ken and the real world. The depth of the story that follows include appropriate toy land features that blend into intensely real world considerations that were unexpectedly mature.

(From left, Rhea Perlman as Ruth Handler, the co-founder of Mattel and Will Ferrell as the CEO of Mattel in the Greta Gerwig movie Barbie).

The movie Barbie manages a slightly subversive sense of itself and its comedic mystery in sharing what turns into the central dilemmas that get the characters to the place of understanding and resolutions needed for movies. The movie works for a wider range of audience than I was expecting, which was a pleasant development. Thus, I give Barbie as directed by Greta Gerwig 4.0-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Wednesday, January 3, 2024

Tom Bateman, Annette Bening and Kenneth Branagh in the Kenneth Branagh movie ‘Death on the Nile’

Agatha Christie is perhaps best known for her detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. The remake of the Poirot mystery Murder on the Orient Express (2017) was reviewed by Matt Lynn Digital in 2018. Kenneth Branagh reprises his role as director and star of the movie Death on the Nile (2022), based on the Christie book Death on the Nile, published in the United Kingdom in 1937 and in the United States in 1938.

(From left, Annette Bening as Euphemia and Tom Bateman as Bouc in the Kenneth Branagh movie Death on the Nile).

The movie Death on the Nile opens with an explanation for the signature mustache worn by Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. The mustache dates back to Poirot‘s service in World War One. While serving his country in the military, a hidden trap kills many of the men while mutilating Poirot‘s face. Poirot‘s nurse and lover, Katherine as portrayed by Susannah Fielding, suggests the detective grow a mustache to camouflage the scars. While Katherine unfortunately dies in the war, born is Poirot’s signature mustache.

(Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot in the Kenneth Branagh movie Death on the Nile).

It is 1937 that we next encounter our fair detective in a club in London, England, enjoying the singing of blues performer Salome Otterbourne. Poirot witnesses the introduction of Simon Doyle as Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ de Bellefort’s fiancé to de Bellefort’s childhood friend, heiress Linnet ‘Linny’ Ridgeway. Ridgeway agrees to enter into a business arrangement with Doyle that evening. Sophie Okonedo, Armie Hammer, Emma Mackey and Gal Gadot portrayed Otterbourne, Doyle, de Bellefort and Ridgeway, respectively.

(From left, Armie Hammer as Simon Doyle and Gal Gadot as Linnet ‘Linny’ Ridgeway-Doyle in the Kenneth Branagh movie Death on the Nile).

It’s six weeks later that, while traveling in Egypt, Poirot encounters his friend Bouc with Euphemia, Bouc’s mother. Bouc invited Poirot to his hotel to attend the wedding of Linnet and Simon, which naturally comes as a surprise given the introductions witnessed back in London. Bouc and Euphemia were portrayed by Tom Bateman and Annette Bening, respectively.

(From left, Jennifer Saunders as Marie Van Schuyler and Dawn French as Mrs. Bowers in the Kenneth Branagh movie Death on the Nile).

Linnet and Simon are enjoying a honeymoon trip on the Nile River. Linnet’s maid, Louise Bourget, Linnet’s schoolfriend Rosalie, traveling as manager with her aunt, Salome Otterbourne, and Linnet’s godmother, Marie Van Schuyler with her nurse, Mrs. Bowers, all join the trip. Dr. Linus Windlesham, Linnet’s former fiancé who renounced his wealthy background, and Linnet’s cousin and financial manager, Andrew Katchadourian, also have joined the trip. Linnet asks Poirot to protect her from Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ de Bellefort, Simon Doyle’s former fiancé, who has followed the couple to Egypt out of presumed feelings of scorn. Bourget, Rosalie, Van Schuyler, Bowers, Windlesham and Katchadourian were portrayed by Rose Leslie, Letitia Wright, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Russell Brand and Ali Fazal, respectively.

(From left, Rose Leslie as Louise Bourget, Emma Mackey as Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ de Bellefort and Ali Fazal as Andrew Katchadourian in the Kenneth Branagh movie Death on the Nile).

The vacationing party boards a cruise ship, Linnet confides to Poirot that she distrusts her guests, too. During an excursion to Abu Simbel, Egypt, Bouc reveals that he is dating Rosalie, against his mother’s wishes. With additional heat on the lives of Linnet and Simon while on excursion, the new bride feels worse when it is learned that Jackie has boarded the cruise ship. Linnet’s death eventually follows, with the apparent instrument of that death found with an investigation to follow, revealing several avenues for who could have committed the crime. Besides investigating the crime, confronting the death, and the further and final motivations for all revealed, the story of Poirot‘s only thoughts for his own romantic feelings, too, are made known.

(From left, Russell Brand as Dr. Linus Windlesham, Sophie Okonedo as Salome Otterbourne and Letitia Wright as Rosalie ‘Rosie’ Otterbourne in the Kenneth Branagh movie Death on the Nile).

The story that we witness with the movie Death on the Nile harkens back to a top notch book by Agatha Christie. The screenplay by Michael Green served us well in providing an entertaining story. The added production of both Kenneth Branagh and Ridley Scott, among others, likely improved the movie. I grant Death on the Nile as directed by Kenneth Branagh 4.0-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Wednesday, September 27, 2023