Written by Alex Phillips

Thumbnail and Banner Photo by IMDb

We’ve all seen the memes about the Barbie and Oppenheimer opening date, and we all have “I’m Just Ken” stuck in our heads. However, Barbie is so much more than that. The film is a message, a critique, and a catharsis for women and those who grew up treated as one. It tells a story and portrays the reality that so many women have faced or are currently facing. The themes and messages that this film depicts resonate deeply with the female experience, which makes it so important for everyone to see, as it touches the souls of women and can give men a glimpse of women's experiences. As a heads up, this article will contain spoilers as the film's themes are analyzed.

The most important part of this film is that it’s a critique of the patriarchy, and it does so in a way that men can care about and relate to. This is primarily done by subverting the patriarchy… but not quite. Barbieland, at the start of the film, is run by Barbies. Women run the world in politics, construction, healthcare, etc. Ken, on the other hand, is just there. If this were a matriarchy, Kens would be serving the Barbies, but in Barbieland, that is not the case. They merely exist alongside them in a manner that neither serves nor is served by them. However, once Ken reaches the “Real World” and sees a world in which men hold positions of power and have jobs other than Beach, he feels as though he has been held back this entire time. Gerwig makes us feel for the Kens as Gosling’s Ken realizes all of the opportunities that men have in the Real World that he does not have in Barbieland. So, he establishes this patriarchy upon returning to Barbieland so that he and the other Kens may have those opportunities. However, that makes things worse for the Barbies as the full force of the Real World’s patriarchy is established overnight.

By showing gender-based oppression in the “reverse” of our world, people who did not previously understand it can get a better glimpse of it. For men, seeing themselves being held back from opportunities can open their eyes to the reality that women face in our world. Furthermore, when you see what it would look like for women without the patriarchy, you can better understand its harm as you watch it become established throughout the film. Gerwig clearly took many steps to make this message as clear as possible so that even those with a misogynistic streak can open their eyes. Even the casting appears carefully calculated. Ryan Gosling, one of Hollywood’s Ryans that straight cisgendered men worship, cast as our main Ken is a smart move. Having him cast in this film that is seen as “feminine” or “for women” and tells the story of women is so important to having people understand the point more. As men watch his struggles, they will pay more attention to the point of the film, since our own world is still patriarchal and men will be more inclined to listen to men, especially ones they respect such as Ryan Gosling.

There are people who have claimed that this film is “man-hating,” since it is critiquing the patriarchy. However, that is the furthest thing from what this film is about. Gerwig makes a point to show how the patriarchy is damaging to men as well. Gosling’s Ken becomes unhappy with what he’s created, but he doesn’t think that he can express any emotion. Whereas at the start of the film, he was more inclined to express his emotions— whether it was pure joy from being around Barbie, or sadness from being embarrassed in front of Simu Liu’s Ken— after the patriarchy is established in Barbieland, we no longer see Ken’s outgoing energy and joy nor any negative emotions. Even his positive emotions are suppressed. He does not express any further emotions until the end with his moment with Barbie and he says that he did not feel like he could cry or be sad. The patriarchy has standards for men as well, and it is damaging. They can’t show emotions, they can’t show weakness, they can’t express themselves; this is all seen within the Barbie movie as well as our society. Gerwig wants the audience to understand that no one truly benefits from the patriarchy, even the men that it puts on a pedestal.

Aside from the obvious themes of feminism, there is another important theme within the movie: the journey to womanhood. The film can easily resonate with anyone who experienced childhood and adolescence as a young girl. Barbieland, in this setting, is the childlike innocence and ignorance of the “real world.” Barbie and Ken represent the young girls and boys who grew up together, as best of friends. As they get older and experience the “Real World,” it quickly becomes clear that life is not fair or equal. Barbie’s first experience with the Real World is full of anxiety, harassment, and catcalls from men. Ken, on the other hand, has a great time. Barbie goes through the experience that many people have as they realize that society does not “like” women, let alone treat them with respect. Men look down on her, women are pitted against her, and she’s torn down by society to believe that she isn’t beautiful or worth something. Despite the comedic narrator’s note that says “Director’s note: Do not cast Margot Robbie for the role” when Barbie makes a comment about not feeling beautiful, this is an incredibly impactful moment. Obviously, Margot Robbie is beautiful, and therefore Barbie is, but the point being made is about that insecurity. All women are beautiful, but society is going to nitpick at every single thing that they do and every little detail about their appearance to make them feel as though they are not. So yes, it is funny to have an actress like Margot Robbie saying the line “I’m not beautiful anymore,” but what’s important is that that is the case with every single woman who has ever said that. Ken’s experience, on the other hand, is very different. Men treat him with respect even if they are strangers; people look up to him, and he discovers the power and authority that he did not previously have. As a result, he becomes “corrupted,” adopting patriarchal ideologies. How many girls grew up watching their male friends turn into misogynists? Too many to count. The Barbies watch as the Kens turn against them, becoming almost unrecognizable. This isn’t an uncommon experience for young girls.

Furthermore, there is the nature of the Real World itself. Gloria, played by America Ferrera, is a Mattel employee. She does not have a significant role in the company. She represents all of the women who have been disadvantaged in the professional world. Mattel’s workforce, its entire executive team, and its CEO, are majority, if not all, men. Gloria’s ideas are rejected, she is not in the loop about what is going on, she is shut out of important conversations, and more. For a company that prides itself on uplifting women (as stated by Will Ferrel’s character, the CEO), there are no women in the company making important decisions let alone providing input and critique into their decisions.

The Barbie movie, while highlighting the issues within the patriarchy and the struggles of women, does have its issues. Throughout its history, Barbie has highlighted the stories and struggles of women, but it has not been inclusive of the struggles that affect women of colour. In recent years, Mattel has been taking a step towards addressing intersectionality, but it overall remains an issue with the depiction of Barbie. Gerwig’s film is no exception to this. Think of the old original Barbie movies that we watched as kids; The Diamond Castle, 12 Dancing Princesses, and Fairytopia to name a few. As iconic and beloved as they are, none of them portray people of colour. Instead, the women are all thin and white. Visually, Gerwig’s film is much more diverse, choosing to portray the Mattel collection that includes visible minorities. For a film that is trying to send a message and critique society, it completely omits the struggles that those visible minorities face within the patriarchy.

Despite that flaw, the Barbie movie sends an incredibly important message as it portrays the truth of our reality. The themes are incredibly obvious, and while some critique that, there are far too many people who need the message to be direct. If you have not already seen the film, I highly recommend that you do. Gerwig is a master at her craft, which is telling stories about women through film, something that is incredibly underrepresented in the film industry. Each of her films tell beautiful stories that women can resonate with, and Barbie is no exception to this. I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next.

Barbie: Why You Should Care

FOLLOW US