This is one of those flicks that uses Barbie and Ken dolls for actors. Which is good, because they tend to be a little less plastic than Julia Roberts or Tom Hanks.
In “Dream House”, the Ken doll (voiced by Paul Gutrecht) is pondering his place in the Universe as he gazes blankly out the window of the Barbie’s Dream House he inhabits with a real doll named, oddly enough, Barbie (voiced by Patty Cornell).
Later, at a party in the elegantly appointed doll house, muscle-bound action-figure dolls discuss body fat percentage and ergonomics. That’s when Ken has a moment of clarity. He realizes that he’s just a pawn controlled by powers greater than himself–which isn’t saying much.
The film is great until a real person is introduced into the story. And the film completely loses the weird momentum and humor it has built up. The focus is gone and it suddenly borders on an exercise in self-indulgence. It’s a shame, too, because “Dream House” came very close to being great and dropped the ball at the last minute.
