Not only was the Barbie movie an opportunity to recast the image of Mattel’s iconic doll, but it also empowered women.
Feature image credit: In-video screenshot of Barbie Trailer/Mattel, Inc
The film is both hilarious and thought-provoking, touching on topics such as feminism, identity, toxic masculinity, self-confidence, and self-love. The movie skillfully alternates between fantasy caricatures of a perfect world and the harsh realities of the real world. In the movie, the women are all Barbies, and all men are Kens, except for Allan and a few other notable characters.
The Plot
[Spoiler Alert] – Barbie (Margot Robbie), aka ‘Stereotypical Barbie,’ who was made in the perfect image, began to experience an existential crisis. Barbie must travel to the human world of California to understand what is happening to her and discover her true purpose. One-dimensional Ken (Ryan Gosling) snuck along for the ride because his own existence depends on Barbie acknowledging him.
The plot follows Barbie, who begins to experience an existential crisis, as she realizes that her perfect image is not the key to happiness. She travels to the human world of California, accompanied by Ken, and experiences harsh truths, objectification, and catcalling. Throughout the movie, Barbie appears more ordinary and becomes more relatable as she learns to let go of the pressure to be perfect. There was even a hint that an ordinary Barbie should be created–one that didn’t put so much pressure on young girls to be perfect.
It also turned out that Barbie’s existential crisis was not Barbie’s owner, pre-teen Sasha, but caused by her mom Gloria (America Ferrera). Gloria is a tired Mattel employee who no longer knows how to connect with her daughter, and her sadness and fears caused Barbie’s crisis.
Ken, on the other hand, had a blast thanks to patriarchy. He tried to impose patriarchal ideologies on Barbieland, causing the other Kens to become bros and the Barbies to lose their skills and talent and only want to wait on the Kens.
The Pros
The Barbie movie, like the film’s marketing team, cleverly addressed some real-world issues. It was like getting your child to eat veggies unknowingly, and they tell you how good it is.
The movie acknowledged Barbie’s “unrealistic body proportions” – and the body issues they can cause. Barbie was brought to tears when pre-teen Sasha told Barbie she was the definition of unrealistic beauty standards instead of empowerment.
In another scene, the topic of diversity in the boardroom was addressed. The scene depicted the top-floor conference room at Mattel headquarters with only men present. However, the CEO (Will Ferrell) claimed that the company’s “gender-neutral bathrooms” were a sign of diversity.
During a particular scene, Sasha’s mother gives a lengthy speech in the third act about the dilemma of being a woman and the contradictory expectations that society has for us. As a woman and a mother, I could relate and found myself nodding in agreement. I could tell by the applause that other women felt seen too.
Then there was Barbie and Ken’s heartfelt conversation about identity and love. This scene almost made me forget you were watching a movie about toys.
The Cons
Although “Barbie” is an exciting and ambitious movie, it was sometimes frustrating. Ken’s attempt to establish a patriarchy in Barbieland was initially amusing, but it dragged on too long. And though I understood it, the film’s humor sometimes came off as disjointed with all the juxtaposing.
Conclusion
Despite its flaws, the film was a crowd-pleaser that accomplished several goals and created space for some thoughtful conversations. The Barbie movie addresses real-world issues such as body image and diversity in the workplace, all while providing a clever and enjoyable movie experience. It is a must-watch movie for everyone looking for a good laugh and thoughtful conversations.
