Director: Greta Gerwig
Release Date: July 21, 2023
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Music:
Starring: Margot Robbie (Barbie), Ryan Gosling (Ken), America Ferrera (Gloria), Ariana Greenblatt (Sasha), Issa Rae, Simu Liu and more
Our Rating: A
Politics, warfare and religion are all things that come to mind when thinking about controversy. Who would’ve thought that a doll with blonde hair and an obsession with pink could have caused such an uproar? When the Barbie movie was first announced, people were probably not expecting it to be so “woke” and have such a strong meaning. It was unexpected that the new movie caused so many scandals and arguments in the recent media. Some even went out of their way to show their dislike for Barbie by burning the dolls.
The iconic Barbie doll has a history of being bashed for being “too perfect” and creating an unhealthy body image for young girls. As a result, many people are confused by the new Barbie movie’s premise: how can such a doll make the feminist movement come alive? In fact, the film executed this goal very effectively. One of the things that “Barbie” examines is how girls start experiencing the reality of “the real world” along with the effects of womanhood.
“I thought that Barbie figuring out who she was and building her character in the movie was important, especially for girls trying to find themselves and who are confused. It makes us feel not so alone,” sophomore Marcela Obando said.
Early on in the film, Stereotypical Barbie starts malfunctioning, and travels to the real world to find out what is wrong. Who would have thought the epitome of perfection could go through a mid life crisis? This is where the Pinocchio context comes in, and the smart pacing makes the viewer question their purpose of existence fairly quickly. Venturing to Los Angeles, Barbie realizes that little girls do not love dolls anymore. As a result, she does not know what she was made for. When she comes to her breaking point she even ends up saying ” I’m not good for anything” in tears.
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“When I saw Barbie cry it made me feel bad for her, but I also felt comforted because she shows exactly how girls feel sometimes,” sophomore Misha Sole said.
The movie examines how women are always trying to strive for some idea of perfection that does not even exist. A character called Gloria has a standout scene where she talks about all the struggles women have to deal with. This scene was the perfect climax as it succinctly and emotionally conveyed how women go above and beyond to be liked. Not only did it make the Barbies snap out of a brainwash, it emotionally resonated with girls and women everywhere.
“The mom’s speech was very heartwarming. It made me feel like I was not alone in certain things and that other people also have the same insecurities as me,” sophomore Serafina Baraloto said.
This part of the movie had a great impact on the female audience. It lifted up the spirit and taught women a very important lesson: no matter how hard a woman tries, someone somewhere might still have a problem with her. The film’s compelling and beneficial solution is that everyone should make an effort to find themselves without taking societal expectations into account.
The movie’s dismantling of the patriarchy was a very cathartic and humorous payoff. In addition, the relatable exploration of the patriarchy through Stereotypical Barbie’s perspective made viewers feel seen.
On the other hand, many people thought that the Barbie movie brought men down. Many conservative commentators stated that the Kens were written as mere side pieces. But this interpretation misses the point. Ken was always marketed as Barbie’s accessory by Mattel; he is therefore portrayed that way during the first act of the film because that is how the general public perceives him.
In actuality, Barbie is about lifting women up and breaking gender stereotypes. Even though Ken was very toxic at one point, even kicking Barbie out of her house and taking over her whole world, she still forgives him. This is because Gerwig’s screenplay values equality between men and women, the central tenet of feminism.
Even though Ken was the one who “discovered” the patriarchy concept and brought it to Barbie land, he ended up being hurt by it too. All that power did not help him get the girl or make him truly happy. Barbie also asks Ken for forgiveness, having undermined him and his feelings, and helps him discover himself.
“I think Ken was just acting up because he was hurt, and was trying to aggrandize himself to suppress his feelings,” sophomore Daniel Chavez said.
The Barbie movie was able to bring to light what women go through, therefore impacting girls all over the world. Those who claim it is man-hating are almost completely missing the point. The movie shows people that they are not alone, and that we should all find ourselves separate from societal norms. After all, how can people follow rules if they have no idea who they are? The film suggests that social harmony can only be achieved through individual empowerment.
