Barbie takes over America
Barbie has taken the world by storm with their new live-action film that came out this July and has everyone raving about the film. From the set design to costuming and the soundtrack, this film certainly brings to life what it’s like to be Barbie. If you haven’t seen it already, I would advise watching it beforehand before continuing the article as it will contain spoilers regarding the plot of the film. However, if you’re interested in seeing someone take away an analysis of the film, please feel free to read on!
The first act of the film takes place in “Barbieland”, a place where everything is perfect always and forever. We are then given the day-to-day life of Barbie (Margot Robbie), with a fun song and quick quips thrown throughout her day. By far the most impressive set design in the part of the film is Barbieland and just how much everything looks just like the Dreamhouses manufactured by Mattel. It’s all very hyper fem and camp, with an amazing dance number where Barbie exclaims her first non-barbie thought. From here on it quickly escalates as the doll ‘malfunctions’ more and more, accompanied by the song reflecting her newfound thoughts and emotions. After going to ‘Weird Barbie’ (Kate McKinnon) for guidance, Barbie accompanied by stowaway Ken (Ryan Gosling) embark on a journey to find the girl she belongs in the real world to make her happy again while discovering the complex human world, how it functions, how women are viewed, and finding your place in the world.
After the first viewing of Barbie, it is easy to say the film is about women’s empowerment and how much harder women must work to keep appearances in the working world as well as socially. While that is true and a main plot of the story, there are also other underlying subplots that accumulate to the overarching plot, feelings of self-doubt, unworthiness, fear of change, and the uncertainty of who you are and where you belong in the world. Presenting all these philosophical thoughts and worries through Barbie as she experiences them for the first, who is absolutely crushed by the harsh reality of our world, all while under the guise of the bright colors and songs synonymous with the fashion doll is wonderfully done and creates a very endearing and empathetic character that many viewers and relate to.
Ken also plays a major role in the film as he discovers patriarchy in the real world and brings it back to Barbieland. His story and character are easy to miss the first time watching it as he plays quite the comedic antagonist in the film, but his issues of not being seen as an individual, always being second to best, and being taken for granted are very real and give his character that extra depth many movies goes loved.
It goes without saying that Barbie has been a huge success at the box office, along with the doll line and collectibles promoting the film released by Mattel, it has reignited Barbie fever like never before and has also caused a resurgence in Barbie memorabilia for collectors everywhere. The film pays lovely homage to the fashion dolls history, including some of the more controversial and discontinued dolls highly sought after by collectors such as ‘Growing Up Skipper’ and ‘Earring Magic Ken’.
In short, the Barbie movie is a fantastic film that discusses philosophical and social issues through her campy pink world that I would highly recommend watching if not once—then at least twice.
