Barbie, released on July 21, 2023, produced by Warner Bros with Greta Gerwig as its director, reveals important themes throughout the movie. The beginning of the movie claims that dolls taught us that, “girls can grow into women who can achieve everything and anything they set their minds to.” As the movie continues they show Barbie living her life as a typical standard Barbie in the Barbie Land. We can later on begin to see that the Kens practically worship the Barbies; instead of living for themselves it seems as though they live to capture the Barbies’ attention.
Afterwards, Barbie begins to have negative thoughts. Believing that she is malfunctioning, Barbie goes to visit the weird Barbie, who tells her that she has opened a portal between Barbie Land and the real world. Heading out on her adventure to the real world with Ken, Barbie is surprised. But Ken, who accompanied Barbie, is excited to see that men play a role in the real life society.
After a confrontation with a teenage girl, Barbie learns that she has made women feel self conscious and has destroyed their self worth. At the same time, Ken, with his newly found information about patriarchy, decides to return to Barbie Land and spread the news. However, as Barbie, along with Gloria and Sasha, a mother and daughter duo, return to Barbie Land, they are surprised to see what Barbie Land has become. Seeing her world so messed up, Barbie begins to feel that she is not “smart enough to be interesting.” To console Barbie, Gloria sends out a message that many, including me, found to be very important. “It is literally impossible to be a woman …women always have to be extraordinary.” Never being able to meet the expectations that are set on them, even though they try so hard just to get other people to like them. This message includes not only women, but everyone in society. Everyone at one point in their lives has been afraid of failing or disappointing others, revealing to us that although we should be aware of others’ opinions, we shouldn’t let that be in charge of our decisions.
After cheering up Barbie, the rest of the Barbies trick the Kens into confronting each other, to return Barbie Land society to what it once was. After the fight Barbie apologizes to Ken, along with telling him to discover who he really is. Thereafter, Barbie finally finds out what she wants to do for herself. “…To be part of the people that make meaning, not the thing that’s made. I want to do the imagining, I don’t want to be the idea.”
The movie, “Barbie,” represents women empowerment, yet shows that men should also be empowered for the reason that we both have struggles in life. As a result, teaching us that we should all live equally and treat each other with fairness. We have the power to do anything we set our minds to, assuming we don’t let society’s negative opinions influence our decisions.
