As silly as it may sound,Ryan Gosling’s performance as “just Ken” inGreta Gerwig’s smash hit,Barbie, is genuinely Oscar-worthy. In fact, Gosling’s performance as Ken is actually so good that it could almost be considered a flaw in the rest of the film. Ken spends pretty much the entire second half of the film as the main antagonist, and while he represents the serious issue of toxic masculinity, Gosling is just so gosh darn entertaining that we can’t help but love him while also hating what he comes to stand for.
With awards season just around the corner, the prospect ofBarbiegetting Academy Awards recognition is certainly possible, though not necessarily probable. While yes, a bone is sometimes thrown atfilms based on IPssuch asTop Gun: Maverick,Joker, andBlack Panther, big-budget blockbusters aren’t often recognized. However, there are many reasons why this trend should change withBarbie, which is worthy of a Best Supporting Actor nod (among many others) and could also be the film that earns Gosling a long-overdue Oscar.
A beloved doll, known for her perfect life in an idyllic, colorful world, finds herself on an unexpected journey when she starts to feel out of place. Seeking answers, she leaves her fantastical home and steps into the real world, where she experiences the highs and lows of human life. With the help of new friends, she navigates the challenges of identity and purpose, discovering the importance of authenticity and inner strength.
In Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie,’ Ken Is Seduced by the Patriarchy in ‘Barbie’
So, how does Ken factor into the story ofBarbie? Well, even though he’s supposed to be the Beach Ken toMargot Robbie’s Stereotypical Barbie, Ryan Gosling’s character could be considered Confused Ken. He’s a dopey jock who is head over heels in love with Barbie, though is also constantly mocked byhis fellow Kensand resents himself for not being able to “Beach” properly. Even worse for the morose yet selfish Ken doll, Barbie does not share the same romantic feelings that he has for her.
Barbiesees Barbie and Ken embark on atrip from Barbieland to the real world, hoping to find Barbie’s doll owner and stop her from becoming an existential, cellulite-having stick in the mud. This road trip was supposed to be just Barbie, but Ken sneaks into the car to help her out. She reluctantly agrees to take him with her, and the two soon learn that the real world is not the perfect utopia they were led to believe —at least, for Barbie, it isn’t. In the real world, Barbie is consistently catcalled and demeaned by just about every male who passes by her, whileKen sees that men appear to be the dominant genderin the real world and quickly hurls himself into researching this so-called “patriarchy.”
When Ken returns to Barbieland, he shares his newfound knowledge of the patriarchy with his fellow Kens. They essentially conduct a passive-aggressive takeover of Barbieland, where the various Barbies become mindless servants and the Kens slowly destroy the population with their toxic masculinity. The Barbies are almost completely dissuaded from stopping this patriarchal coup, but they are eventually able to exploit the Kens' greatest weapon —an inflated ego. By making them jealous of each other, the Barbies force the Kens into an epic final battle/dance number, which distracts them long enough for the Barbies to preserve their constitution. While they have a long road to earning their forgiveness, hopefully,the Kens will learn that they are “Kenough.”
Ryan Gosling is a Laugh Riot in ‘Barbie’
The character of Ken is already Kenough to make an entertaining movie, butRyan Gosling’s brilliant comedic performancetakes Ken from a great character into one of 2023’s best. As with most great comedic performances in filmmaking, Gosling was given free rein to improvise, with a particular stand-out when he surprisinglyscreams out the word “Sublime”. Improvisation is something that works particularly well with Ken as he’s a character who is experiencing an entirely different world for the first time. Gosling even recorded the entirety of the viral"I’m Just Ken" song in a mere few hours. If that doesn’t show undeterred dedication to a role, then we don’t know what does.
The 9 Kens (and Allan) in ‘Barbie,’ Ranked
You guessed it. They’re all Kens (and Allan).
Gosling’s role as Ken seems to encapsulate all the niche entries inhis accomplished career. He gets to showcase the musical chops he showed off inLa La Land, the funny side he brought out inThe Nice Guys, and even the misplaced confidence he brought to his character inThe Big Short. Couple that with all of Gosling’s notable dramatic work, and we can see how his role as Ken inBarbiecombines all the actor’s skills and stands as one of the acclaimed movie star’s best performances.
As Funny as Ken Is, ‘Barbie’s Themes of Patriarchy and Toxic Masculinity Are No Laughing Matter
Barbieis overall an incredibly lighthearted and fun movie that isn’t intended to be taken too seriously. However, just because a film is lighthearted doesn’t mean it can’t touch on serious issues. At its core,Barbieis a very gender-charged story, and that’s especially clear with Ken. It’s no secret that today’s world, especially when it comes to the internet, is filled with people (predominantly straight white males) who feel that men should always be the dominant gender in society, perpetuating an idea that men need to exert authority through any means necessary to garner respect. Many prominent right-wing influencers and commentators, who we won’t dignify by mentioning here, have made an entire business out of viewing men as the superior gender and blaming women and non-binary individuals for the world’s problems, creating various communities where sexism, racism, transphobia, and more run rampant.
Ken fromBarbieclearly symbolizes what happens when these ideals seduce down-on-their-luck men.Ken isn’t necessarily a horrible personor a woman-hater. He’s somebody who feels he’s been dealt a bad hand in life (despite being phenomenally privileged) and wants guidance on how to fix it. The idea of a world where every man is revered certainly sounds exciting to people with this same mindset, but in practice, it almost always leads to a culture of toxic masculinity that causes more harm than good. The fact that many of these same right-wing influencers and commentators are throwing forty-minute-long temper tantrums online shows that this explicit message isrubbing some of these so-called “anti-woke” activists the wrong way.
Ryan Gosling Is Overdue for an Oscar Win
Gosling has appeared in many Oscar-worthy rolesthroughout his long career, but he’s only been nominated a total of two times. The first was for his performance as a drug-addicted yet beloved high school teacher inHalf Nelson, which is up there withThe Notebookas one of the most influential films of his early career. Gosling then got his second Oscar nod forLa La Land, where he turned up that famous Hollywood charm and proved himself as a competent singer and dancer. Though that’s really only scratching the surface of the many great performances from Gosling that have made him a household name, with others includingBlue Valentine,Drive,The Ides of March,Blade Runner 2049,First Man, and more.
Gosling has reached the point in his career where he’s more than deserving of an Oscar win, let alone regular nominations. Will he win at the 2024 Academy Awards? Honestly, it’s too early to call, and he’ll likely have stiff competition with potential contenders beingRobert Downey Jr.forOppenheimerandRobert De NiroforKillers of the Flower Moon. Even if he doesn’t win, a nomination for Ryan Gosling inBarbiewould mean many potential new precedents for the award show, including but not limited to being a big win for blockbuster comedies.
Barbieis available to stream on Max.
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