Everyone knows Barbie — the doll with blonde hair, a pink dress, and glittery shoes. Last July, Barbie visited the theaters, embarking on a sparkly journey proving she is something more than these. Hop on her journey with the Sungkyun Times (SKT) to unveil all the complex layers this candy-colored film holds. Barbie is everything, and this is just a review.
Hi, Barbie!
-Barbie in the Real World
Barbie is an American fantasy comedy film released on July 21st, 2023. It is a live-action movie of Mattel’s Barbie fashion dolls directed by Greta Gerwig and co-written by Noah Baumbach. Remarkable actors like Margot Robbie, who plays the main character of “Stereotypical Barbie,” Ryan Gosling, and America Ferrera shine on the big screen. Thanks to the film’s colorful and extravagant aesthetic centering a universally loved doll, Barbie attracted massive interest even before its official release. The high expectations translated into the film’s gross ticket sales, as it reached the $1 billion mark at the global box office only 17 days after its release. The movie was also critically acclaimed for its sharp commentary on today’s society, as Rolling Stone remarked that Barbie “may be the most subversive blockbuster of the 21st century.”
-Synopsis (*Spoiler Alert)
Barbie Land is a perfect plastic world where all the Barbies and Kens live together with pink houses, a dreamy beach, and planned choreographies. Barbie enjoys her flawless days until she suddenly notices the small cracks threatening her perfection. To solve her affliction, Barbie visits the Real World with Ken. The Real World teaches Barbie the delights and perils of living as a human and, most importantly, the system of patriarchy. While Barbie is confused, Ken is impressed by the Real World’s patriarchy and introduces its concept to Barbie Land, dominating over the Barbies by creating his own empire called Kendom. Barbie now has the fate of Barbie Land on her back, together with the burden of existential crisis on her shoulders...
Subversion in Sparkles
-Barbie Is Not Everything as It Seems
Through the dynamics of Barbie and Ken, this film conveys a satirical critique of gender politics. Within the movie, the Barbies assume the dominant class as they occupy all the society’s significant roles, such as president, doctor, and Nobel Prize winner. This intentional setting reflects the movie’s famous tagline, “Barbie is everything,” as women are everything in the matriarchal society of Barbie Land. Therefore, when Barbie encounters the patriarchal society of the Real World where women are not, in fact, everything , she becomes perplexed and disillusioned. Through the confusion that Barbie feels, this film subtly exposes how standardized inequality remains in today’s world. For instance, a scene in which Barbie assumes the Miss Universe commercial as a picture of the Supreme Court adds a witty yet stark satire to the movie. Furthermore, Ken’s subplot unfolds with humor, extending the film’s critique. He discovers patriarchy and motivates the other Kens to dominate over the Barbies out of exhaustion from their subservient position. However, as they sustain the patriarchal system, the Kens find themselves in continuous competition with one another due to the frames of toxic masculinity. In the end, the Kens realize the destructive nature of patriarchy and take a step toward pursuing a healthy and secure sense of self-assurance. Likewise, Ken’s character arc surpasses the function of a comedic relief to illuminate the negative impact that patriarchy can have on men. Thus, the film utilizes Barbie and Ken to criticize that “any kind of hierarchical power structure that moves in any direction is not so great,” as explained by Gerwig in an interview with Rolling Stone .
-Critique of Consumerism... by the Corporate?
Furthermore, Barbie delves into the realm of consumerism in which everything, even the idea of progress, is commodified. Despite being a Mattel production, the film develops a self- deprecating criticism of Mattel as a corporation. From the very start of the movie, Barbie admits the superficiality of the empowering editions of Barbie dolls, which were not solutions to patriarchy but mere consumerist products. The film expands this critique through a comical parody of the Mattel CEO and his interaction with Barbie when he extols the dreams of young girls but calls Barbie a misogynistic term. Even after the resolution of the central conflict, the film continues its banter toward corporations that commodifies anything that can bring profit. For instance, the satirical scene where the Mattel CEO allows the production of “Ordinary Barbie” only after being assured that it generates substantial profit reveals the modern consumerist reality. However, while the movie conveys a certain level of satire on consumerism within its context, the externality of Barbie makes this commentary ironic. Before and after the release of the film, Mattel followed the rules of consumerism through excess marketing and the mass production of dolls appeared in Barbie Land. Hence, the movie’s attempt to criticize consumerism paradoxically highlights both the significance and limitations of a film attempting to revolt under a corporation.
Close Your Eyes.. Now Feel
Apart from the critical messages about today’s society, Barbie gifts its audience with a heartwarming theme that anyone can relate to — what it means to live as a human. Through Barbie’s journey of self-discovery, she leaves her perfect plastic self and enters a chaotic life as an imperfect person. As Ruth Handler, the original creator of Barbie dolls, gently says in the film, “Take my hands, close your eyes...” Now, feel the ending of Barbie.
Ruth Handler: “Humans only have one ending. Ideas live forever.”
Barbie: “I want to be a part of the people that make meaning, not the thing that is made.”