Director: Greta Gerwig
What happens when a Barbie doll who lives in a perfect world steps into the real world where humans live? Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is exactly what it promises to be. Barbie lives in her perfect Barbieland with all kinds of Barbies, a Barbie President, Doctor, Noble Prize Winner, you name them and they are represented. Margot is the ‘stereotypical’ Barbie who goes on a quest to the real world because of a few glitches in her personality that are unusual.
Barbieland is a woman’s world, and on the other hand, the real world is dominated by men. This difference in their worlds is the social commentary that forms the plot. When Barbie and Ken step into the world of humans, their takeaways are diametrically opposite. While Ken understands patriarchy and wants to adopt it at Barbieland, Barbie understands how her entire existence has made women feel insecure about themselves.
Margot Robbie is sensational as Barbie, no one could have played the role any better. Not just because she looks just like a doll, she is extremely confident, secure and sure as Barbie, the perfect Barbie. The same goes for Ryan Gosling who is adorable and so convincing as the insecure Ken. His comic timing is unmatched, his parts are the funniest in the film.
The movie is unabashedly over the top, they are owning it and using it to their advantage. The dialogues are the true winners, they are intended to sound corny but are sometimes so profound, you will be taken by surprise. When Barbie comes to console a weeping Ken, he responds by saying, “I’m a liberated man, I know crying is not weak.” The movie is all about these moments that capture the essence of what it’s trying to be.
The marketing strategy around the film is worth applause. The buzz, the promotions and the hype around the movie certainly overshadow the movie itself. The movie is a great watch, but the entire publicity around it seems like an effort made to hide its flaws. It does try to touch upon many issues, fascism, consumerism, patriarchy, body image issues, feminism etc. If you can look past the ideal world of Barbie and see that the movie is talking about womanhood and sisterhood, then it’s done its job.
A monologue by America Ferrera, who plays Gloria from the real world is one of the best scenes in the film. She points out how a woman is put under an immense amount of pressure to look, feel and even be a certain way.
“You have to never get old, never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never fear, never get out of line!” How contradictory are these rules set up for women? The second half of the film truly touches upon the dichotomy of how a woman is supposed to be according to our society! We recommend it to everyone, watch it one time to feel represented. When Margot Robbie breaks down because she’s having an existential crisis, you will relate to her. We have all been there, at a juncture when you don’t know what to do or how to do it, but we get through it, and we do it wearing pink!
Stars : 3.5/5
