Barbie first reactions call the film "perfection" and "laugh-out-loud funny"

Margot Robbie in Barbie
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

The first reactions for Greta Gerwig's highly-anticipated Barbie movie are here, and everyone is blown away by the pink-tastic movie.

The fantasy comedy is directed by Gerwig from a script by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach. Per the official logline, "After being expelled from Barbieland for being a less-than-perfect doll, Barbie (Robbie) sets off to the real world to find true happiness with a little help from Ken (Ryan Gosling)."

"I can't officially quit Twitter before telling you all that #Barbie is currently my favorite film of the year," writes ComicBook.com's Jamie Jirak. "Greta Gerwig somehow exceeded my expectations. She tackles the positives and negatives of Barbie so beautifully. Give Ryan Gosling an Oscar nomination, I'm dead serious!"

"I saw #BarbieTheMovie and Greta Gerwig left me all in my feelings as did the production design, costumes, hair and makeup! I was living for the dance numbers led by Simu Liu! It's overblown fun with a feminist twist," says critic Carla Renata

"#BarbieTheMovie is witty, heartfelt, and downright fun at times. Ryan Gosling is a scene stealer delivering most of the laughs while Margot Robbie's heartfelt performance will tug at your heartstrings. While I enjoyed most of the film the screenplay feels bloated at times," is critic Sharronda Williams' verdict. 

"Further BARBIE thoughts to come but the number one is I can't believe Greta Gerwig got away with it! (said admiringly)" says The New York Times' Kyle Buchanan

"Barbie is perfection. Greta Gerwig delivers a nuanced commentary on what it means to be a woman in a whimsical, wonderful and laugh-out-loud funny romp. The entire cast shines, especially Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in roles they were clearly born to play," says Variety's Katcy Stephan

"Barbie caught me off guard & I mean that in the best way possible. It's funny, bombastic, & very smart. Greta Gerwig aims for the fences & hits a home-run. Margot Robbie's performance is great & Ryan Gosling & Simu Liu are pure entertainment! The whole cast is brilliant!" is the take of Screen Rant's Joseph Deckelmeier.

"I have seen #Barbie! The craftsmanship is incredible. In particular the costume & production design includes next-level work that heavily contributes to creating the feeling that these truly are Barbies, their dream houses, and their worlds come to life," says Collider's Perri Nemiroff. "As for the story, that's where I'm a bit more mixed. I think the film serves Margot Robbie's Barbie and her journey especially well, but there are other characters experiencing important arcs that needed more screen time to really dig into and explore to the fullest."

Barbie is set to hit theaters on July 21, 2023. You can watch the trailer through the link. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2023 and beyond, or, skip straight to the good stuff with our list of movie release dates.

Molly Edwards
Senior Entertainment Writer

I'm a Senior Entertainment Writer here at 12DOVE, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English. 

With contributions from