'Barbie' Review – Sweet, Pink and Insightful?

(Photo by ©Warner Bros. Pictures)

Back in July, I decided to watch the now world famous, critically acclaimed ‘Barbie’ movie. Prior to watching it, I expected a whimsical, fun, satirical, and even superfluous film. It’s safe to say that Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster film was all these things and even more.

I'm confident most people have watched this movie already, so it goes without saying, there are spoilers ahead.

The first thing that caught my eye was the meticulous and thoughtful costume design. The outfits capture the glamorous, fun energy of Barbie, with a modern aesthetic touch. An exemplar of this would be my favourite, the cowgirl outfit.

The attention to even the tiniest details is commendable. It’s interesting how a lot of elements in Barbieland are portrayed from a young girl’s point of view – the eternal sunshine, lack of water, Barbie ‘flying’ to her car, and the ‘world’ map. The juxtaposition between the ever so utopian Barbieland and the real world is made evident with the lighting and shooting styles.

As the movie advanced, we were confronted with more solemn topics. One which stood out to me was the bringing of the patriarchy to Barbieland. It is at this point, we realise, that the positions Kens held in Barbieland, are the positions women hold in a patriarchal society. The gender dynamics of Barbieland are flipped in the 'real world'.

Another ‘real world’ scene I adored was when Margot Robbie’s ‘stereotypical Barbie’ compliments an elderly lady. She realizes the purity of human interaction, and begins to comprehend the essence of humanity, which goes beyond her ‘plastic’ self. This essence of humanity is further pondered over in Ruth Handler's dissertation on the immortality of ideas.

The scene where Barbie laments on how ‘ugly’ she is, despite being the epitome of beauty, possessing the look many envy and covet. It gives us closure and sends the message we all need to hear; everyone feels that they’re not good enough.

The most potent moment of this movie would have to be Gloria’s monologue on the struggles of being a woman. I feel it resonated with the spirits of so many of us, me included. Every grievance shared by women pertaining to the patriarchy, was articulated with gravitas. It speaks for women and girls all around the world.

The Mattel executives are portrayed as as expedient, money-hungry men who are oblivious to the symbolic significance of Barbie and only aim to profit, and will take whatever steps required to do so. This is a clever commentary on the cavalier nature of modern companies. While this portrayal was accurate, I find it egregious how Mattel allowed themselves to be represented that way.

The technique employed by the Barbies to force the Kens to relinquish their power was not one of violence, simply manipulation. The Kens lose their unity in their battle for self -importance. This takes a witty jab at how fragile, and ludicrous the concept of the patriarchy is.

While this film evidently empowers women, it does not put them on a pedestal. Ken’s character development, which ends with him realizing that he is ‘Kenough’, sends the message that the value of men or women is not determined by the other.  It also empowers men to show emotions, contrary to the stoic disposition they are expected to embody. After the patriarchy is abolished in Barbieland, instead of returning to a matriarchal society, the effort is made to ensure that Kens also enjoy a role just as important as the Barbies’. This promotes gender equality, rather than a polarized message. This, I admire very much.

And of course, the movie could not be just as phenomenal without Margot Robbie’s impeccable acting. She is the embodiment of Barbie, not just because of her appearance, but her overall facial expressions, intonation, and demeanour. She perfectly balances between sincerity and sarcasm. The casting was perfect. Ryan Gosling delivers a brilliant and quirky performance as Ken; he absolutely steals the show.

It's ingenious how the movie has made itself appealing to both Barbie fans, and staunch critics. For fans, it brings back childhood nostalgia with iconic dolls and the dreamhouse design. For Barbie's critics, it addresses the unrealistic and patriarchal beauty standards Barbie embodies and perpetuates. I would say I lie somewhere in between, and I enjoyed both aspects.

There are some small bones I must pick with this film. Its plot is not exceptionally exciting or original, especially towards the middle of the movie. Its message was also put forward in a slightly preachy manner and slows down the momentum of the movie.

To conclude, this movie was not just ‘glitter and sparkles’, it symbolically confronts the facets of our society. It was intriguing to view a film from a woman’s perspective and I hope the success of this film, will encourage more movies directed by women. It has been crafted with creativity, patience and care. It has its flaws; however, this does not take away the empowering message presented, which has rarely been done in Hollywood. Truly, anyone, man or woman, Barbie fan or not can appreciate and should watch this film.