BARBIE: IT’S ABOUT TIME

I remember when women despised the Barbie doll for creating an unrealistic, unattainable representation of the female body. Over time, the smart people at Mattel expanded their line to be more diverse and inclusive and the stigma all but vanished. One might expect a 21st century mainstream movie produced by the toymaker to be a paean to the signature doll of our lifetime, but director Greta Gerwig (who wrote the screenplay with her partner Noah Baumbach) has concocted something entirely different: a female empowerment saga with a lot to say. Barbie is a clever and canny film that uses Margot Robbie (who also produced the picture) as the embodiment of “Stereotypical Barbie,” the perfectly-dressed and coiffed blond beauty who drives a pink Thunderbird convertible and resides in…