Fans Flock to the Barbie Blockbuster
The highly anticipated movie Barbie has become a cultural phenomenon. Greta Gerwig directed the film which she co-wrote with Noah Baumbach. The film stars Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken.
The plot of the movie follows an unconventional storyline: Stereotypical Barbie, the most popular character in a world populated by other dolls, all named Barbie or Ken, begins to experience an existential crisis. After talking with Weird Barbie, she learns the reason for her unexpected imperfections. We learn the girl who played with Barbie in the real world, Sasha, is distraught. Stereotypical Barbie must travel to the human world to find the girl so that she can go back to her perfect, plastic self. Her “boyfriend” Ken comes along with her because his existence depends on Barbie acknowledging him. They both uncover the truths of reality and meet new people as they search for the answer to their questions.
One of the aspects I loved most about this movie was the amount of creative detail. All the barbies, their costumes, the dollhouses, or the locations Stereotypical Barbie travels in between, all elements are vividly brought to life. I felt I was living my childhood dream.
I also enjoyed the music selections. They were a great way to integrate pop culture references. Another notable feature in this movie was the cast choice. I don’t believe there could’ve been a more perfect person to play Stereotypical Barbie than Margot Robbie. She checks all the boxes: blonde hair, blue eyes, perfect smile, and the expression of excessive optimism required in the perfect world of Barbieland. As Barbie begins to understand human emotions, Robbie finds a way to genuinely express each one. I also think Ryan Gosling did an exceptional job as Ken; he captures Ken’s shift from being dependent on Barbie to assuming a toxic masculine mindset.
When I think of my favorite scenes in the movie, there is one in particular that comes to mind. At the end of the movie Barbie is faced with a decision: either go back to her life in Barbieland or face all of the wonders of being human. This scene is shot in a stark, white room, creating a dream-like feeling. Barbie is met by Ruth Handler, the original creator of Barbie, who gives her advice in her decision. She tells Barbie to “Take [her] hands, close [her] eyes, now feel.” A video follows with a compilation of girls and all the wonderful experiences in their girlhood. The nostalgic scene made me reminisce about my own childhood.
After watching Barbie, I think the main topic Gerwig wanted to shed light on was obvious: feminism. The variety of all the Barbies’ occupations were meant to reflect the equality women have achieved in the workforce. Barbie Land is a girl-power wonderland where Barbies hold all the power and Kens are just accessories. The most impactful scene to me that encapsulates the moral of the movie includes Barbie, Sasha, and Gloria, Sasha’s mother. The three of them travel to Barbieland to rescue all the other Barbies from Ken, who was trying to take over. Barbie has a crisis of self-worth. Gloria, having experience in the real world and knowing what it’s like to be a mother, delivers an empowering speech about how women don’t need to follow the unrealistic standards that have been created and that Barbie is beautiful, just as she is.
Although I thought this was a well-crafted movie, there were a few low points for me. Ken and Barbie are not really a couple, as they are usually portrayed. This is meant to shed more light on feminism, insinuating that women do not need a man. I would’ve preferred if Ken and Barbie were depicted in a traditional, romantic relationship. I also felt there were times scenes fell flat when presenting more serious topics. I think establishing the perils of toxic masculinity and feminism were conveyed more effectively through the funny, ironic edge that is used throughout the film.
Overall, I loved Barbie. I believe there was a perfect balance between the idyllic, pink-hued world and the real world.
