This Barbie cannot stop talking about Barbie.
The summer blockbuster Barbie made history as the first film by a female director to hit $1 billion at the box office according to Warner Bros. Studios. Previously, only 28 directors–28 male directors–in movie history are on that A-list of billion dollar films. But today, we can make that 29 as the first female director, Greta Gerwig, joins the list.
After its viral promotion this past summer, it’s really no surprise that the plastic doll was able to set its new box price tag at $1 billion. Barbie’s marketing campaign was unlike anything Hollywood has ever seen. Fans were in a pink craze leading up to the release of the film.
I know I was chasing after all of the Barbie collaborations I could get my hands on. From the Barbie ice cream at Cold stone, to the Barbie clothes at Target, to the Barbie Malibu popup in downtown Chicago, to the Barbie box photo booth at the movie theater itself… Pink. Pink. Pink. It was everywhere and it was everything.
However, Barbie has become so much more than just pink.
After the film’s release, the majority of fans were shocked that the film wasn’t just about life in the dream house. The audience instead got Barbie characters that were living a very similar lifestyle to us in the real world. These Barbies had to deal with gender societal roles; these Barbies also felt misunderstood and underappreciated in even what was supposed to be a dreamworld. But by the end of the film, the audience was able to leave with a sense of new pride and new respect for womanhood. The audience was reassured to embrace their struggles and their differences are what make them truly beautiful and truly Barbie. The film was directed so well by Gerwig that it was comical yet emotional, very pink yet very blue.
Mattel’s intention when creating Barbie was to give women the confidence that they are fully capable to take on any role through all the doll editions they have been releasing over the years. In the film’s fictional Barbieland world, the Barbies run the place; they are the lawyers, the doctors, and the president. However, Mattel has also arguably created a doll who is a symbol of unrealistic beauty standards. In the film, the real world characters address this in a very aggressive manner pointing out that Barbie herself is “sexist” and “a disgrace” to women. This concept of a certain beauty standard is something that relates to our real world on a daily because young girls today often compare their own beauty to those online.
However, Gerwig is able to successfully dismiss these ideas of needing to be perfect through powerful monologues and emotional scenes between characters. Gerwig’s script, direction, cinematography and most importantly, cast, all convey strong themes of female struggle and understanding one’s self worth, ultimately making audience members question what they were made for.
Greta Gerwig has many successful films on her roster now, including award-winning Lady Bird and Little Women, along with the noteworthy Frances Ha and 20th Century Women. At only 40 years old, Gerwig is becoming one of the greatest directors of our generation and is one I highly suggest we keep our eye on. This writer predicts Barbie will earn an Oscar–or nomination at least–for Best Director.
Barbie has now been released for at-home screening. Whether with friends or family or alone, this film is a must watch for anyone. This film will leave a legacy across not just Hollywood but the world, so “come on, Barbie, let’s go watch Barbie!”
