‘Barbie’ Movie Feminist Message Is A Positive One Not Negative

Barbie is one of the latest live-action-comedy feature films by Warner Bros.  Pictures, based on the popular fashion dolls by Mattel. Barbie, portrayed by  Margot Robbie, shares the screen with Ryan Gosling as Ken, and an ensemble cast  including Issa Rae, America Ferrera, Will Ferrell and many more.  

Just as Barbie never ceases to amaze with all that she can do, the movie does the  same with elaborate set design, meticulous attention to prop detail and energetic  dance numbers. Opening with a glimpse of Barbie’s world, it’s evident that the  grass truly is greener on her side because it’s, well, artificial. The men are left to graze upon it and beach, while the women hold the ‘important’ job titles. In this  matriarchal driven-society the women are doctors, lawyers and successful  businesswomen. They own their own equally elaborate dream homes AND every  night is girl’s night.  

It is during the first dynamic display of choreography that “Stereotypical Barbie”  shares a hidden fear of death, that she quickly masks as a desire of ‘dying to  dance.’ Inciting the incident teased, she soon discovers that her perfectly arched feet  have gone flat and her usual perfect morning routine is out of sync. She seeks the  wisdom of “Weird Barbie” to find a cure – specifically for the cellulite that has  appeared on her upper thigh. “Weird Barbie” informs her that Barbie must take a journey to the real  world to set things back to normal. Barbie sets off and shortly after realizes a backseat stow away, Ken.  

The two accidentally cause a scene – several of them, in their attempts to blend in,  causing the FBI to alert the CEO of Mattel, of the real-world invasion. Barbie tries  to connect with her owner, Sasha and quickly learns that not everyone loves  Barbie. Sasha believes that Barbie has set unrealistic standards of beauty for real world women, and shares her feelings on the matter, leaving Barbie in tears. 

The  CEO of Mattel locates Barbie at Sasha’s school where her mother is picking her up alongside a Mattel employee, Gloria. He tries to get Barbie back into her  box but Gloria and Sasha help her escape. They realize Gloria’s own identity crisis  has collided with Barbie’s own existential crisis. As Gloria had begun playing with  old toys for a bit of excitement in her life, unknowingly transferring her human  concerns to Barbie. The three take the journey back to Barbie Land – where Ken has  already headed back to, after being empowered by discovering the patriarchal  system in the real world.  

Barbie attempts to introduce the ladies to the matriarchal reality of Barbie Land,  only to discover that Ken has convinced the Kens to take over. The other Barbies  are no longer doctors, the president and lawyers, but have obliged to submissive roles of maids, housewives and low commitment, always agreeable girlfriends.  Barbie tries to talk Ken into changing things back, but for the first time ever, he  feels seen and acknowledged. This sends Barbie into a discouraging depression,  melted away only by a passionate and insightful speech about society’s unrealistic  expectations of women. Barbie, Gloria, Sasha, Alan and a host of other  discontinued dolls work together to whisk the Barbies away one by one, re-igniting  their passions with various portions of the speech. The restored Barbies pit the  Kens against themselves in a beach off, causing them to miss the vote to keep  Kendom or return to Barbieland.  

The film simultaneously speaks to the modern world, Barbie-world and the worlds  that exist only in our minds. Layered equally with laugh out loud moments and  uncomplicated truths of matriarchal vs. patriarchal views, we are left feeling, it  could all be so simple. Couldn’t it? Shouldn’t it?  

The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey said it best, “while it’s impossible for any  studio film to be truly subversive, especially when consumer culture has caught on  to the idea that self-awareness is good for business. Barbie gets away with far more  than you’d think was possible.” 

Barbie is a reminder that the stereotypical views, often normalized within society,  leave none of the involved parties truly happy with the results. It is a beautiful  balance of eye-catching, memorable set design with messaging that speaks to the  core of humanity. At the core, we all want to be seen, heard, and acknowledged.  We all want to make a difference, find happiness and at some point, grapple with  challenges centered around identity and social status.  

The standout, takeaway moment is Gloria’s monologue about the intricate  complexities of being a woman. This nuanced tightrope of a walk requires the  poise and delicacy of a doll, how fitting that the topic was addressed in a movie  about one.