FILM REVIEW
“Barbie”: The Politics of a Plastic World
A film review of “Barbie”
The task of bringing Barbie to the big screen was hardly a simple one. The film went through various iterations and spent over a decade in development before it could make its way to cinemas. And while it isn’t a film I was particularly looking forward to seeing myself, it’s one I’m still glad that I got to see all the same.
One of my favorite movies of the year so far is the Super Mario Bros. Movie, and it’s not because the film is a thoughtfully written masterpiece that I loved it so much. I loved it because it brought to life the video game characters of my childhood that had spent decades almost completely voiceless — sparing the occasional grunt or “It’s-a-me, Mario!” For those who didn’t grow up on Nintendo, though, the movie still does an excellent job at providing an entertaining and digestible storyline that almost anyone can enjoy.
What The Super Mario Bros. Movie was for the video game-playing child within me, Barbie is for nearly any child who grew up playing with Barbie and Ken dolls. And while that was never me, Barbie has been a staple part of the culture for so many years that there’s an element of intrigue in seeing her depicted on the big screen.
