Hello readers,
The most anticipated film of the year has finally arrived: Barbie! There has been a lot of hype around this film thanks to the amazing marketing team and the enormous cast featured in the film, not forgetting legendary director Greta Gerwig. I myself have been eagerly awaiting this film and to sum it up, it did not disappoint.
I was able to see some of the Barbie European Premiere in London as they erected a giant screen for those who did not manage to get in. I will be posting some images on my instagram @film_fanatic00
While many clips of the film were released, little was known about the overall plot and I was pleasantly surprised when I sat down to watch. I thought I knew everything about the film due to the sheer volume of content on social media but they really kept the main story hidden. This will be spoiler free as I know some people have not yet had the chance to see the film.
Barbie (2023)
Barbie’s have always been a controversial topic: on one hand they promote feminism as Barbie has her own car, house, career without the help of a man. Her boyfriend Ken is a background character with no job/house/car of his own. The dolls were released at a time when women in America couldn’t even have their own bank accounts and most had the job of housewife so little girls seeing Barbie as a lawyer, doctor, author, scientist or homeowner, empowered generations.
On the other hand, Barbie’s have always kept a very slim, totally unrealistic body type. They have feet always ready to wear high heels, waists smaller than their heads and lipstick and mascara on their faces. While Barbie has been released as different ethnicities, she has not had a realistic figure and it wasn’t until 2019 that a Barbie in a wheelchair was put on the market permanently.
The film uses all of these controversies in their plot and makes sure that we know that they do not condone Barbie’s unrealistic body but rather celebrate her achievements. We start with the 2001: Space Odyssey opener that has been teased, letting us know that Barbie was the first adult doll manufactured for girls that did not just teach them to be mothers. We see stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) wake up in her dream house and have the perfect day. All her fellow Barbie’s have success in their careers, winning Nobel Prizes, being the President, driving an ambulance and generally having a great time.
Barbie starts having some troubling thoughts and her feet lose their natural heel so she is sent to Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon) for help. She tells her to go to the Real World to find the girl playing with her as she must be passing on her depressing thoughts. Ken, who up until this point has been side-lined by Barbie in favour of hanging with the girls and sleepovers, decides to join her on the trip.
The chaos ensues from there and we meet the humans Gloria and Sasha who assist Barbie in her quest towards the end of the film. I thought it was a great idea to incorporate Mattel into the film and shows maturity that they allowed Greta and Noah Baumbach (co-writer) to poke fun at them. Barbie also discovers that the Real World is not as perfect as Barbieland and that women are not in charge. Ken discovers the patriarchy and things start unravelling when he brings this revelation to the other Kens and Barbies (and Allan).
This film was a lovely celebration of female power and how women are always expected to be two things at once, for example they have to be decisive but not bossy, dress nicely but not too sexy and so on.
Barbieland itself was a wonderful playground filled with all the accessories one could want but I am glad we got to see the Real World too as that grounded the story for me. All of the costumes were amazing and there were so many details nodding to discontinued Barbie’s such as her sister Skipper and Midge, the pregnant doll.
Margot Robbie was amazing as Barbie, balancing human emotions perfectly but Ryan Gosling as Ken was a real standout. His comic timing and facial expressions were right on point and I would like to see him do more comedy.
Overall the film was a joyful over-the-top celebration of humanity, especially women and made you think about what makes us human. Beneath the pink and the costumes and excellent soundtrack, the film had real heart and emotion that Greta always injects into her films. I will most certainly be watching the film again ad I encourage everyone to go along to the cinema to see Barbie in action. As the film campaign has said: ‘It’s a film for everyone who likes Barbie and everyone who hates Barbie’. I give the film 5/5.
Happy Watching,
Robyn