Blockbuster or Bust: Barbie

“Never in my life have I felt so seen as a woman of this world.” 

I am in awe. Never in my life have I felt so seen as a woman of this world. After its premiere, so many wrote this film off by as female chauvinist propaganda, and I can’t even begin to explain how disappointed I am at their lack of understanding. As a woman, it took so many years to understand all the ways that I’ve been objectified, harassed, condescended to, undermined, or simply made to feel ashamed of my feminine design throughout my life. For so many women, I think it is an impossible experience to articulate, but Greta Gerwig’s Barbie knows exactly what to say. Despite some misguided criticism it’s received for calling out very real patriarchal systems, this movie is still male-friendly, funny, and multi-faceted. It doesn’t matter who you are to watch this film, because at the end of the day, Barbie is about the one thing we all have in common – our messy and beautiful humanity.

Story

Greta Gerwig never misses, and Barbie is no exception. Not only will the story keep you guessing, but each scene is injected with enough wit and charm to carry the audience through any moments of uncertainty. Aside from impeccable pacing, Barbie uses an unconventional structure, often breaking the fourth wall without falling into the trap of becoming cringeworthy. By combining an imaginative setting with real world problems and principles, simplified by Barbie’s naivety and the narrator’s quick exposition, the film is truly a slam dunk. It was refreshing to see a world that’s cast was vibrant as its setting.

Characters

Barbie, our stereotypical bestie, serves as an unexpected anti-hero who gives other characters the space to take charge and define her story. It isn’t until she reaches a tipping point that Barbie discovers she needs to define herself by something more than the stereotypes for which she was created. Ken is undeniably loveable, even at his worst. Truly a man written by a woman and a dollish personification of childlike naivety, Ken navigates the world in a hilarious and complex manner as both the oppressor and the oppressed. Gloria and daughter Sasha make a sweet team with a dark edge for a mother to regain relevance in the world and a daughter to give grace rather than angst. With formidable and wildly funny side characters like Will Ferrel as Mattel CEO, Kate McKinnon as Weird Barbie, and Michael Cera as the one and only Alan, this cast was destined for greatness.

Quality of Adaptation

Here’s the thing, Barbie may not be a traditional adaptation, but the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences would apparently disagree. It is not a story already told and it is certainly not a sequel to the Barbie movies we watched as kids. It is completely original, however, Barbie herself is not. Barbie has been portrayed as everything over the years and while she is what we want little girls to aspire to be she is also a perfectly impossible expectation for a real woman to reach. Trying to balance such complete opposite sides of the same die feels like a hopeless endeavor as a writer, and while most would choose a lane and stick to it, I have the utmost respect for a film that successfully balances such complexities. Barbie herself represents a lot of outdated and naïve ideologies, at the same time, she is the woman we believe we can be as little girls and the heartbreak we experience in womanhood when we feel like we’ll never be good enough. 

Is it Worth the Watch?

Yes. If you are a woman – yes. If you are a man – yes. If you are nonbinary or anywhere else in between – it’s still a yes from me. It simply doesn’t matter what your political beliefs are or what perspective you have to offer, because at the end of the day, this movie is a reminder that we all just want to be beautifully and irrevocably human. While I understand why some are perceiving this movie as anti-male at face value, I would desperately implore you to look deeper and see how these representations are meant to replicate the experiences of both men and women as the oppressors and the oppressed. Ultimately, Barbie is the perfect blend of wit, visual charm, a magnetic cast, and a very real-world experience.