There is something special about Barbie. The way the billboards—which were basically just hot pink—and the trailers have come together – has been incredible to watch. The Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie-starrer film not only broke multiple records but also garnered favorable reviews from critics. Naturally, as with any film, not everyone is a fan. Veteran director Oliver Stone has joined the list of prominent people who have voiced their opposition to the 2023 film. He made it clear how much he detested the production, and he did not hold back.
Even the idea that the actor who played the role of charming Ken was “wasting his time” crossed the filmmaker’s mind. The four-time Academy Award winner actually voiced his displeasure with Gosling’s casting choices, claiming that the actor has wasted his “time” by appearing in films like Barbie in an effort to make “money”.
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Oliver Stone: Barbie Star Should Do ‘More Serious’ Films
Oliver Stone, the man behind helming films such as Seizure, Platoon, and Born on the Fourth of July, has deservedly established himself as one of the greatest directors of all time. But the director, who is praised for his audacious and provocative movies, expressed his worries about Ryan Gosling’s choice to take on roles that appear to put money before artistic merit.
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie has received a lot of positive reviews overall, but some directors, like Kelly Reichardt and Ruben Ostlund, have taken issue with it. Stone is another one of those who hate the $1.446 billion film. He truly went on the attack about the film and “Hollywood” in an interview with the UK publication City A.M., believing the latter is turning into a kind of infantilized “fantasy” land:
“Ridiculous. Ryan Gosling is wasting his time if he’s doing that s*it for money. He should be doing more serious films. He shouldn’t be a part of this infantilization of Hollywood. Now it’s all fantasy, fantasy, fantasy, including all the war pictures: fantasy, fantasy. Even the Fast and Furious movies, which I used to enjoy, have become like Marvel movies. I mean, how many crashes can you see?”
Not only Stone but a host of other people have criticized Barbie. Notable political commentator, actor, and television host Bill Maher was another one to do so, denouncing the movie as “preachy” and “man-hating” (via X).
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Bill Maher Criticized Barbie as ‘Preachy’ and ‘Man-hating’ Flick
Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig, did not sit well with Bill Maher either. The 68-year-old Real Time with Bill Maher host expressed his disapproval of the Warner Bros. Pictures film in a social media post on August 8, 2023, labeling it as “preachy” and “man-hating.” His primary grievances with the neon pink family film stemmed from how it portrayed a patriarchal society in 2023.
OK, “Barbie”: I was hoping it wouldn’t be preachy, man-hating, and a #ZombieLie – alas, it was all three. What is a Zombie Lie? Something that never was true, but certain people refuse to stop saying it (tax cuts for the rich increase revenues, e.g.); OR something that USED to be…
— Bill Maher (@billmaher) August 7, 2023
In the movie, while touring the Real World with Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie), Ken (Ryan Gosling) discovers the existence of patriarchy. Following that, he puts the Kens—which include costars Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, and Scott Evans—into power in Barbie Land by enacting his highly idealized version of the system.
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Despite the criticism, it cannot be denied that most people were pleased with the production, with many praising its direction, script, production design, and other aspects. The cast of Barbie received a great deal of appreciation as well, with Gosling receiving particular recognition. His tragic and hilarious transformation into Ken has been hailed as one of the film’s highlights.
With a global box office receipt of $1.446 billion, the movie has shattered multiple records. It is now the highest-grossing movie of 2023, the 14th highest-grossing movie ever, and the first to gross over $1 billion.
You can stream Barbie on Max.
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