ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR – JORGE GUERRERO
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SEPT 13, 2023
This past July, Mattel produced one of the highest grossing films in Warner Brothers’ 100-year history, earning more than $1.38 billion worldwide. The starstudded super-film directed by Greta Gerwig became the most successful film from a female filmmaker at the domestic box office, featuring Margot Robbie as Barbie, Ryan Gosling as Ken and a beautiful narration from Helen Mirren.
The Barbie movie is a professionally directed film full of virtuous lessons depicting the societal female experience delivered perfectly through the exquisite acting of the cast, every character brilliantly picked The Barbie movie creates a story of self-determination where Margot Robbie’s Barbie is a malfunctioning doll, having to face the world outside the ideal Barbie world to save herself. Barbie sets out on a quest to find her owner in the real world which she soon discovers is the exact opposite of Barbie world. Instead of a world ruled by Barbies, where Barbie can be whatever she wants to be, she must dive into the real world where women are idealized, objectified, and continuously discriminated against in all aspects of life.
While discovering the harsh truth of the outside world, Barbie becomes entangled in a manhunt by Mattel executives, who are trying to prevent the story, that a toy doll made it out of their imaginary world and into the human world, from leaking to the public. Mattel’s CEO, played by Will Ferrell, is worried that the incident could negatively affect Barbie land and its magic. In the meantime, Ryan Goslings’ Ken tags along with Barbie and becomes hyper consumed with the fact that the human world is completely dominated by Men; Ken believes that the patriarchy is the best thing to exist because it benefits men. “So many frustrations and problems women deal with silently on a daily basis are perfectly addressed,” comments St. Mary’s marketing senior Alejandra Ochoa.
Through rib tickling scenes full of jokes, quick witted jabs and puns, Greta Gerwig’s film successfully navigates the message of the production without losing sight of the central theme of self-determination. While Ken expresses the journey of discovering himself by regaining his confidence through an exhilarating dance battle, Barbie’s expedition peaks with a heart clenching and tear-jerking dialogue as she tries to understand her purpose outside of being the stereotypical Barbie. With a delightful dialogue between Barbie and Rhea Perlman as the ghost of the original maker of Barbie, Ruth Handler, the film is tied together, and Barbie understands her true purpose and why she was made.
The public received the film Barbie positively; however, the film is not without controversial reception from those that feel the message is negative or over the top. Regardless of the negative opinions, the successful box office numbers speak for themselves and clearly say that this movie is worth watching. For those that missed the movie in theatres, fear not, as the movie is available to stream on Amazon Prime starting Sept. 12.