Does ‘Barbie’ Deserve All the Hype?

To the Editor:

Re “‘Barbie’ Is Bad. There, I Said It,” by Pamela Paul (column, Jan. 26):

Ms. Paul has no sense of humor. There, I said it.

After reading her column, I am getting the vibe that any film that rides on satire, humor and a plethora of pink is not worthy of serious artistic consideration.

It is a slight that Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie did not get Oscar nominations for best director and best actress. The movie was buoyant and amusing and poked fun at everyone: the women who need to be beautiful, the men who need to dominate women, the corporate greed, and the control of images and toys.

“Barbie” is not a “bad” movie, but you need a sense of humor to appreciate it.

Let’s lighten up, Hollywood. I, for one, am getting tired of depressing films. I want to be entertained and challenged in a fun way. Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie deserved to be nominated.

Felicia Carparelli
Chicago

To the Editor:

Thank you to Pamela Paul for her finely barbed Barbie breakdown, and for making it OK not to love-Love-LOVE!! the movie.

I wanted to like it, really I did.

I’d sashayed into the theater sporting my pink pants and scarfing popcorn, only to trudge out two hours later feeling like … maybe I missed something?

The surrounding hoopla was partly to blame for my letdown. But beyond the hype, the film’s odd mélange of man-bashing and stagy hamming felt both over my head and below my expectations. I hit rock bottom at Gloria’s much-lauded monologue, which I found to be cringeworthy and clichéd.