Should I see ‘Barbie’? Columnist considers blockbuster movie’s Central Coast connections

Recently, I reached for a favorite blouse that’s trendy, loose and comfortable to wear in hot weather.

I put it back in the closet.

It’s vibrantly hot pink, and this grandmother flinched away from being on fashion point with “Barbie” movie culture.

Yes, I know Barbie would hypothetically qualify for full Social Security benefits next year. The blonde, big-eyed doll did arrive on toy store shelves in 1959, after all.

Barbie hits the big screen

Directed by Sacramento native Greta Gerwig, “Barbie” follows Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) on a journey of self-discovery after an existential crisis.

As Barbie flips between Barbieland and real life, the plastic doll diva faces issues as diverse as womanhood, cellulite, flat feet, mortality and the patriarchy.

Since its release in theaters July 21, “Barbie” has become a multi-generational sensation, smashing movie theater attendance records and inspiring a slew of pink-hued products ranging from jewelry and clothing to insurance, vacation homes and Brazilian burger sauce.

Even San Luis Obispo’s powerfully pink Madonna Inn has gotten in on the “Barbie” craze.

The movie has also led to countless think pieces interrogating Barbie’s unattainable physique, assigning her status as a feminist icon and urging conservative lawmakers to “Stop picking on Barbie.”

To decide if I really wanted to see the film for myself, I reached out to my pals for their opinions.

What do moviegoers think about ‘Barbie’?

Male and female respondents ranging from 20-somethings to octogenarians gave “Barbie” rave reviews, describing the blockbuster as “a definite go-see,” “as silly and playful as it was subtle and witty” and “well-written and absolutely gorgeous.”

“Barbie was fabulous,” Cambria magician Rick Bruce wrote on Facebook. “Anyone who thinks that it’s anti-male really missed the point. … I loved it.

Cambria moviemaker Carlos Plummer described “Barbie” as “such a wonderful film with so many different layers of thematic elements,” adding that Gosling gives “a career-defining performance alongside Margot Robbie, who shines above all”

He said that the movie has “a lot of great messages for a wide audience, given they’re willing to listen.”

“I enjoyed it,” longtime friend Barbara Finley of Reno said. “It had some laugh-out-loud moments, a parody with a lot of social commentary. Helen Mirren was perfect as the narrator.”

Geologist John Decker of Cambria enjoyed “Barbie” but not the unsettling scene changes.

“There was no justification for moving from one scene to the next,” said Decker, who found them distracting. “It’s like Tiktok segments that are totally unrelated.”

Anahuac Aztlan dismissed the movie outright, writing on Facebook that “I’d rather stick needles in my eye” than watch “Barbie.”

‘Barbie’ has Central Coast connections

Although it’s set in a fictional fantasy land, “Barbie” and its director have connections to the Central Coast.

In 2018, Mark Landgreen and Gordon Lindberg, both from Cambria, were enjoying Starbucks coffee after a Hunter Ranch Golf Course game in Paso Robles when their conversation drifted to the Academy Awards ceremony the night before.

Lindberg expressed frustration that the movie “Lady Bird” didn’t win any Oscars, despite being nominated for Academy Awards for best picture, best director and best original screenplay, among others.

That’s when a woman walked over and asked if she could sit with the golfers.

“(We’re) two old guys and a good-looking young woman asks to join us?” recalled Landgreen, who replied, “Of course!”

She joined the conversation, saying, “The movie you were talking about it? I wrote it and directed it.”

It was Gerwig, who was on her way to the California redwoods.

They chatted for 15 minutes or so, “long enough to finish a venti coffee,” Landgreen said. “We told her we thought she’d been robbed the night before at the Oscars.”

“When it’s your first movie and it gets five nominations, there’s no way you could go away anything else but thrilled,” Gerwig said.

Another Central Coast connection to “Barbie” involves Anthony D. “Tony” Bulone, a Solvang master model maker and sculptor.

According to Bulone’s 2018 obituary, he “designed the original Barbie doll, modeled after his wife, while working as a contractor for Mattel.”

Bulone told the Kitsap Sun in 2000 that he was paid $800 for the freelance work.

“If anyone contacts the Mattel company to verify my involvement, the answer they get is that I was one of hundreds who worked on the project,” he told the Bremerton, Washington, newspaper. “Sometimes, the artist is not a good businessman.”

Bulone isn’t mentioned in the “Barbie” media blitz that gives all the credit for creating the fashion doll to Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel.

As the official story goes, Handler based Barbie on a rather risqué German doll named Bild Lilli.

Her much less racy version, named Barbara “Barbie” Millicent Roberts after Handler’s daughter, debuted in March 1959. Barbie’s boyfriend Ken, named after Handler’s son, debuted two years later.

Although I’ve heard rumors that Barbara Handler had moved to Cambria, I wasn’t able to confirm them.

Instead, I suspect that folks were talking about legendary dollmaker Martha Armstrong Hand of Cambria, who worked on projects for Mattel, Disney and Hanna Barbera.

My personal journey through all things Barbie made me ask myself, “Do I need to keep my fuchsia blouse on wardrobe timeout?”

If I do go see “Barbie,” will I wear the hot pink blouse? You bet your Barbie.

Where to see ‘Barbie’

“Barbie” is screening locally at Downtown Centre Cinemas and Sunset Drive-In, both in San Luis Obispo, as well as at Regal Cinemas in Arroyo Grande, Colony Cinemas in Atascadero and Park Cinemas in Paso Robles. Showtimes vary.