A BARBIE FILM REVIEW

In 2023, one of the main points of contingency for most political groupings centers on acceptance, though one's political leaning will most likely dictate what their personal opinions are on accepting people. And through most of our progression, the fight for equal opportunities, rights, and lifestyles for women has probably been the most covered in media but has also been grossly radicalized. While conservatives will most likely have an issue with any minority group you choose to politically defend, the feminist movement also admittedly has a large group of unsupportive women, likely stemming from how successfully the media has been able to contort the actual desired effect behind the movement. In recent years we've seen many rooves being broken in the mainstream media, the first black, Asian, and female-led superhero movies, more diversity in places we previously saw none, the first black and LGBT-centered movies to win Oscars, etc. And with that has come an unsurprising response from those with opposing viewpoints, taking the perspective of left-leaning ideologies being forced down their throats. However, for this essay, I want to lean away from politics as much as possible, not because I believe politics don’t play a role in many of these discussions, only that I disagree that they should.

The Barbie moving gaining traction as a feminist piece was unsurprising previous to viewing the picture, however upon first watch it caught me off guard how palatable the message truly was, only proving the radicalized perception of, not anti-men, but pro-women media. Regardless, the response to such a movie was unsurprisingly large, and those who did not support went out of their way to express why they felt personally scrutinized by a movie so blatant towards its hatred for men. What I think is almost funny about such a takeaway is that throughout the entire hour and 50-minute movie, very few things were said in actual disdain towards the male gender, however, much was said about the patriarchy and those enforcing it, which is interesting to view from an outside perspective, considering that perceiving anti-patriarchal messages as anti-men is almost exactly the message writer and director Greta Gerwig was attempting to send.

The film takes place partially in Barbie Land, and partially in the real world, one is led by women, and the other, as we know, is led by men. The film uses this story element to highlight the disparity between women and men in our world, Barbie Land only existing as a reference for how jarring the opposing worldview would be. The key difference in Greta's Barbie Land vs. The Real World is that, while stereotypical (the naming we will discuss shortly) Ken is somewhat ignored by Margot Robbie's Barbie and holds resentment as a result, none of the Kens are ever in any sort of danger in Barbie Land, only further proving the point the film tries to make when Barbie and Ken experience the real world for the first time. In quite gendered terms, Barbie Land is for women, and the Real World is for men, each gender unable to see the issues being caused for the opposite gender of their respective "Land". One of the most jarring moments in the film is when Barbie first arrives on Venice Beach and is exposed to the behavior of men in the Western world. While Barbie is confused, concerned, and shocked by how the men are speaking to her, Ken falls in love with the shift in the power dynamic. As a result, he effectively colonizes Barbie Land, making it hard to ignore the obvious cross-sectionality of Ken being a cis straight white man unable to detect the idiocracy of his attempt to better his life in a matriarchal society.

The movie paints the two titular protagonists as protagonists, however, their existence in the movie has a much deeper meaning than Greta Gerwig casting two objectively attractive leads to play the most common iterations of Barbie and Ken. The name "Stereotypical Barbie" and "Stereotypical Ken" is not exclusively meant to reference the Blue-eyed White Blonde Barbie and Ken that a majority of people picture when thinking of the Mattel brand. The narrative itself largely focuses on Womanhood, focusing heavily on the impact of Barbie's existence on women's impact on themselves. Barbie being stereotypical Barbie further pushes the narrative that Barbie isn't necessarily the main character we would think, but rather a muse to represent "Women" as a whole, giving the closing act the umph it required. Likewise, Ryan Gosling's Ken serves the role of "Men". This is why his Ken is so heavily influenced by his exposure to "the patriarchy". The modern idealized, "stereotypical" man is, unfortunately, someone participating in patriarchal mindsets and ideologies. This effectively turns Ken into an almost protagonist throughout a majority of the second and third acts, but not necessarily in the sense of Barbie vs. Ken, honestly, it almost feels like the opposite (I'll explain momentarily), but rather a protagonist to the overarching progression of Barbies character throughout the picture. Ken acts, in true real-world-man fashion, as a hiccup in what Robbie's Barbie is trying to accomplish, resulting in Barbie needing to mother him, also throughout the 2nd and 3rd acts. 

What frustrates me the most about the less-popular responses I've seen to "Barbie" is how much they miss the message, almost in a way that kind of feels like Gerwig wanted them to (in an "if you get it, you get it" way). In the same way, they're reading an anti-patriarchy message as anti-men, they're missing what the actual movie is about. Ken colonizing Barbie Land serves as important commentary involving feminism and societal perceptions of women, however, there's a larger, overarching, very beautiful message about womanhood itself. As Barbie acts as a summarization of what it is to be a "woman", body image and gender aside, her story reflects daily and life struggles that struck a chord with a wide range of audiences. Most notable would be the 3rd and final act, in which, to take down Ken's new Kendom and literal brainwashing, Barbie(s) alongside America Ferrera and Child, use expressing their feelings. Barbie's story revolves around her feeling of brokenness, fitting perfectly in a story taking place in a perfect, plastic, life, and how she feels like she isn't serving her purpose as "Barbie" anymore. With that comes a very modern take on womanhood, expectations of appearance, job, and attitude, things that up until now, I had only heard friends or people on Twitter vocalize. Care about your appearance but not too much, dont put out on the first dont but dont lead a guy on, have a job but be a full-time mother, raise your kids but dont let your kids be your only accomplishment, have hobbies but dont have basic ones or ones that are for boys and dear God dont talk about them unless someone asks, all the things women feel but I dont think anyone has been necessarily 'brave' enough to discuss it in such a big movie. Similarly to 'Everything Everywhere All At Once", because of this the film in its entirety hits a lot harder to some audiences. One of the best examples of this message and a film crew knowing their audience, is Billie Eilish's "What Was I Made For?" acts as a character in and of itself for the genuine emotion it stirs. Conjuring questions of identity, self-worth, and purpose, things not even uniquely experienced by women, though marketed towards them. 

In its entirety, Greta Gerwigs "Barbie" is better than I expected even after the week between its release and my viewing in which I saw the positive responses and tears, the film was gaining. Unlike some forms of media which it's inspired by a muse, this film is almost the Muse of modern women. There is something deeply impactful about a voice existing in a space it usually would not, to have something so profoundly individual yet vastly widespread be pushed out into the most popularized mainstream media. And through all the recent turmoil involving gender, sex, and the Supreme Court, Greta Gerwig managed to create a piece of literature about self-love, self-expression, womanhood, motherhood, growing old, growing up, beauty, men, patriarchy, feminism, and did so with humor, thoughtfulness, and a (for Barbie, unrealistically) diverse cast. 

Fuck you if you have a single thing to say about Hari Nef.