Alert: if you still want to watch the movie, be aware that this review will contain spoilers - thank you.
Yesterday I went watching the new Barbie movie with my “former playmate“ aka my Mom at the cinema.
After posting a selfie, a friend wrote me that she liked to know my opinions on the movie as she had already seen it… to be honest, I have mixed feelings about it, so I thought to give you my open-heart review about it.
I guess, viewing the trailer, lots of us would have imagined something more lighthearted than the actual emotions behind this movie. I will not say that it was too emotional or so, but rather it makes you think - and still Barbie cries a lot for a Barbie!
Warner Bros.
It is a movie about the role of the woman, I would say. About the ideal and how it really is and though about how it can or maybe could be.
I would say that the criticism, the movie wants to underline indeed is there. Nonetheless, given the fact that it is “just a Barbie movie”, I do not really know how literally this criticism could be taken in general - and this, I find a pity!
Warner Bros.
There is this line where Ken in the real word asks what has happened to patriarchy and the man answers: “Well we still do it, we only hide it better.” I find that line pretty stabbing. As well as they say: these stereotypes of how a woman has to be, they still are around - skinny, but not the skinny; emotional, but not whiny; has to have a career but has also to take care of everyone else. All of this at once.
It can be overpowering! Either way, I also I have to say that lots of women manage to do it and deserve a bit clap, making it in this hidden patriarchal world!
Now, to what I really liked about the movie!
In these days, my opinion about Barbie might be controversial. I know which health problems that issue brings with it, either way in my head Barbie is just the ideal. She is perfect, yeah! But she is a doll, she is not real. She “kind of” has to be perfect to inspire! In the imagination of Barbie, she really is not too skinny, not too tall and there are plenty versions of her. So, I believe that what was very crucial, was explaining the intention behind her once again, as this one went missing in the last decades.
The Barbie slogan is “You can be anything.”
So, you can do anything also as a woman! And this message is very empowering!
I remember having a Barbie plane pilot. I did not have Barbie lawyer or Barbie president, although these are also part of the game!
My Barbies all were fashionistas, they had their own house and they had a cabriolet - I do not know if you are aware of it, but my first car also was a cabriolet! Somehow inspiring, don’t you think?
Warner Bros.
The point in all of that is - at least I believe - that we have to explain to the younger generation what the meaning behind something is: may it be a game, a movie or simply a situation!
I really do not believe that we could blame a Barbie, a doll, for how she has been thought of in the last decades. Maybe, there has been some washout which depends on the industry behind it but still, the idea behind the doll stays untouchable. And the idea is that every girl can be everything she wants to be because she can - regardless of her gender!
Warner Bros.
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