My wife and I took my parents, and it’s better on a second viewing. I found the first viewing so visually overwhelming that I needed a second to fully appreciate the sets, the choreography, the blocking, and the colour scheme. Absolutely brilliant work. The dance numbers are incredible. “I’m Just Ken” will probably end up being my movie sequence of the year.
I was a little stumped the first time around by the Mattel men, but I’m developing a theory: I think the studio really wanted Mattel portrayed in a positive light. I think Greta changed the script to make it so, because their lines are pretty neutral. But it feels like, once the cameras were rolling, everybody knew the whole point was to mock them as imbeciles.
Really feels like a movie where the creative team almost entirely won against the forces of bureaucracy and (probably) rampant sexism. This will probably become a regular comfort food watch at our house once it releases on disc.