The Barbie Movie: Navigating Pre, Current, and Post Perspectives
In this article, () were used to define terms that may be difficult to grasp for youth.
PRE:
The long-awaited film of 2023, “Barbie,” came out over a week ago, and people just can’t seem to get enough of it.
This beloved movie landed its director (person in charge of making the movie), Greta Gerwig, in 2021, most known for her previous films: “Ladybird” and “Little Women.”
Since Gerwig’s arrival on set (the location where the movie is being made), curiosity has been circulating throughout the internet about what type of Barbie movie it would be.
In the past, there have been various acclaimed Barbie productions such as:
- Barbie of Swan Lake
- Barbie: Fairytopia
- Barbie as The Princess and the Pauper
Margot Robbie, who stars as Barbie in the film, shared her intel (knowledge), “We of course would want to honor the 60-year legacy (the long history) that this brand has, but we have to acknowledge that there are a lot of people who aren’t fans of Barbie. And in fact, aren’t just indifferent to Barbie (don’t just not care about Barbie). They actively hate Barbie. And have a real issue with Barbie. We need to find a way to acknowledge that” (Vogue, a magazine).
With known-feminist (someone who supports equal rights for women) director Gerwig heading the movie, audiences knew to expect something different than past Barbie movies.
From the worldwide pink shortage (not much of), Barbie-themed Air BNB (a special place to stay), to an unexpected Crocs partnership (working together with Crocs shoes), “Barbie” seems to have outreach everywhere. The film partnered with Coldstone Creamery, Burger King with the Pink Burger, Pacsun, Bloomingdale’s, Fossil Watches, Kendra Scott, Moon Toothbrushes, and so many more. On top of that, the “Barbie Malibu Café,” “Barbenheimer,” and a “Barbie Boat Cruise” off the Boston coast were more marketing endeavors (strategies to get people interested) the film took.
Gerwig was “interested in how life is complicated and messy… it can be all these things at once.” She highlights that the Barbie brand needed to not only inspire young girls to chase whatever dream they wanted, but to have adult women speak to all the impossible contradictions (opposite opinions) (Wbur).
“Barbie” touches on themes of womanhood, patriarchy, inclusivity, and, of course, feminism. The movie addresses societal expectations of women and their gender roles, illustrating the many roles that Barbies have in their Barbieland, from President to Nobel Laureate, while Kens just sit in the background, with Ryan Gosling’s “Ken” notably having the role of “beach,” where he surveys waves.
When Barbie and Ken reach the real world, they’re confronted with sexism, toxic masculinity, and a sort of male superiority. Ken finds this patriarchy he’s discovered empowering and brings it back to Barbieland, where the roles are reversed fully in a matter of minutes. Later on, America Ferrera’s character, “Gloria”, delivers an inspiring monologue challenging the unfair expectations that women are held to in society. About that monologue, one person tweeted, “This monologue could have either made or broken the film I’m so serious… I am glad it was perfect. I was sobbing” (mads on Twitter). At the end of the film, a beautiful montage featuring women from the cast and crew’s lives played, embodying “life’s beauties and pains beginning with girlhood to the more weathered stages of adulthood” (Entertainment Weekly).
CURRENT:
In light of all these moving messages and empowered composites, reverberations from those criticizing the “anti-men” sentiment of the movie have been ever-present and growing since. Critics are blasting their takes on The Barbie Movie all over Twitter (now called “X”):
“[If] you take a shot every time Barbie says the word ‘patriarchy’, you will pass out before the movie ends” (Elon Musk on Twitter).
“‘Barbie’ is a two-hour woke-a-thon brimming with feminist lectures and nuclear-level rage against men”(Christian Toto on Twitter).
Additionally, well-known conservative figure Ben Shapiro has had quite a lot to say about the movie, releasing a review of the film on YouTube entitled “Ben Shapiro DESTROYS The Barbie Movies For 43 Minutes,” containing Shapiro burning a trash can full of Barbie dolls.
Historically, right-leaning beliefs have centered around laissez-faire economic theory and anti-communism. Now, they have transformed into nationalist, anti-elitism, right-wing populism, outwardly opposing abortion access, LGBTQ+ rights, immigrant rights, and so much more. The criticism of the film seems to reflect a broader societal trend where discriminatory legislation is gaining momentum at various levels of government. Notably, examples like the “Don’t Say Gay” bill in Florida, the overturning of Roe v. Wade by SCOTUS, and the surge in anti-LGBTQ+ bills in state legislatures signify a resistance to social progress and gender equality.
POST:
But is this indicative of the direction society is moving in terms of feminism and gender equality? Not entirely.
Barbie has surpassed projections, bringing in $188 million domestically as of July 24 (Box Office Mojo), making it the highest-grossing film debut of 2023, and broke a record making Director Gerwig the highest-grossing female director in a film’s debut. Besides numbers, “Barbie” has reached the hearts of its viewers through the inspiring tropes of emotion, sisterhood, and acceptance. Many people all over Reddit and Twitter/X have been moved to tears multiple times during the movie, with one Reddit user saying, “Just got home from the first showing in our city. I knew from the first trailer I was going to cry. I did. I need time to process how I feel though. It was everything and is absolutely my all-time favorite movie” (Reddit).
It’s not that the movie is anti-men, it’s anti-patriarchy, which is, in fact, pro-men. Crushing the patriarchy crushes traditional male stereotypes and creates a safer space for men to seek mental health counseling, to express their femininity, and an additional innumerable other outcomes for non-men. The Barbie movie is lifting the curtain to reveal how the patriarchy is truly harmful to every, including men. The people who feel threatened by this movie/criticize may fear the prospect of a changing power balance and that they have to give up their dominance to create a better society for everyone.
In essence, this dramatic response to a movie promoting feminist and anti-patriarchal values isn’t something good. And with growing popularity for discriminatory legislation on local, state, and federal levels, it seems as though livelihoods and lifestyles are under attack. But there are ways to counteract this. Awareness of these oppressive bills, advocacy in fighting or appealing to them, and sharing what you believe to be right is what can make a difference. Sure, Barbie is just a movie, but the media’s reaction has more than “meets the eye” driving their comments — there’s a bigger picture that The Barbie Movie is being used to propagate. Today, in such a divided climate, listening to others’ concerns and trying to talk them out respectfully seems impossible to reach, but really is the simplest solution. Seeing how this certain group reacted so vehemently to a 100% fictional movie with characters based on children’s dolls, I’m scared for the future in which they may become elected officials with power to make decisions that affect each and everyone’s lives.
“Barbie Movie Review & Analysis.” Litbug, www.litbug.com/2023/07/22/barbie-movie-review-analysis-2023/. Accessed 25 Jul. 2023.
“Domestic Box Office for Jul 24, 2023 — Box Office Mojo.” Box Office Mojo, 24 July 2023, www.boxofficemojo.com/date/2023-07-24/weekly.
Fletcher, Harriet. “Greta Gerwig’S Barbie Movie Is a ‘Feminist Bimbo’ Classic — and No, That’S Not an Oxymoron.” The Conversation, 19 Jul. 2023, theconversation.com/greta-gerwigs-barbie-movie-is-a-feminist-bimbo-classic-and-no-thats-not-an-oxymoron-210069 . Accessed 25 Jul. 2023.
Puckett-Pope, Lauren, and Erica Gonzales. “Greta Gerwig’S Barbie Live-Action Movie: What We Know So Far.” Elle, 4 Jul. 2023, www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a36979981/barbie-movie-release-date-cast-news-spoilers/. Accessed 25 Jul. 2023.
Bramesco, Charles. “Barbie: The Patriarchy, the Existentialism, the Capitalism — Discuss with Spoilers.” The Guardian, 24 Jul. 2023, www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jul/24/barbie-movie-spoilers-themes. Accessed 25 Jul. 2023.
Tong, Scott, et al. “‘Barbie’ Director Greta Gerwig Explains How the Movie Deconstructs a Toy Icon.” Wbur, 21 Jul. 2023, www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2023/07/21/greta-gerwig-barbie. Accessed 25 Jul. 2023.
Aguirre, Abby. “Barbiemania! Margot Robbie Opens Up About the Movie Everyone’S Waiting For.” Vogue, 24 May 2023, www.vogue.com/article/margot-robbie-barbie-summer-cover-2023-interview. Accessed 25 Jul. 2023.
Rubin, Rebecca. “Inside ‘Barbie’S’ Pink Publicity Machine: How Warner Bros. Pulled Off the Marketing Campaign of the Year.” Variety, 23 Jul. 2023, variety.com/2023/film/box-office/barbie-marketing-campaign-explained-warner-bros-1235677922/. Accessed 25 Jul. 2023.
Dockterman, Eliana. “Every Single Barbie Partnership That We Could Find.” Time, 13 Jul. 2023, time.com/6294123/barbie-partnerships-crocs-burger-king/. Accessed 25 Jul. 2023.
Wang, Jessica. “Barbie’s Moving Montage Features Real Women from the Lives of Cast and Crew.” Entertainment Weekly, 24 Jul. 2023, www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/barbies-moving-montage-features-real-women-from-the-lives-of-cast-and-crew/ar-AA1eiT2x. Accessed 25 Jul. 2023.
Wanshel, Elyse. “Just 18 Great Responses To People Calling ‘Barbie’ Man-Hating, Feminist Trash.” Huffington Post, 24 Jul. 2023, www.huffpost.com/entry/funniest-tweets-barbie-man-hating-feminist-trash_n_64be9dd5e4b053a700926be9. Accessed 25 Jul. 2023.
Elsesser, Kim. “Greta Gerwig Set A Box Office Record. Here’S What It Means For Future Female Directors.” Forbes, 24 Jul. 2023, www.forbes.com/sites/kimelsesser/2023/07/24/greta-gerwig-set-a-box-office-record-heres-what-it-means-for-future-female-directors/?sh=16c07d18bec3. Accessed 25 Jul. 2023.
@madykatie. “this monologue could have either made or broken the film i’m so serious…..i am so glad it was perfect. i was sobbing.” Twitter. 24, July, 2023, 10:30 a.m., mads on Twitter: “this monologue could have either made or broken the film i’m so serious…..i am so glad it was perfect. i was sobbing” / Twitter
@HollywoodInToto. “#Barbie is a two hour woke-a-thon brimming with feminist lectures and nuclear-level rage against men.” Twitter. 18, July, 2023, 8:31 p.m., Christian Toto on Twitter: “#Barbie is a two hour woke-a-thon brimming with feminist lectures and nuclear-level rage against men” / Twitter
@elonmusk. “It you take a shot every time Barbie says the word “patriarchy”, you will pass out before the movie ends.” Twitter. 24, July, 2023, 12:04 a.m., Elon Musk on Twitter: “@RampCapitalLLC It you take a shot every time Barbie says the word “patriarchy”, you will pass out before the movie ends” / Twitter
u/jenrevenant. “Just got home from the first showing in our city. I knew from the first trailer I was going to cry. I did. I need time to process how I feel though. It was everything and is absolutely my all time favorite movie.But yes, this movie was about me and you and us and it was soooo goooood!!!!” Reddit. 20, July, 2023. I saw the early screening of Barbie and WOW : r/Barbie (reddit.com)
