BARBIE
US, 2023, 114 minutes, Colour.
Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrara, Helen Mirren, Kate MacKinnon, Ariana Greenblatt, Michael Cera, Will Ferrell, Kingsley Ben Adair, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey, Emerald Fennell, Simu Liu, Scott Evans, John Cena, Ann Roth.
Directed by Greta Gerwig.
Once there was Pretty in Pink. Now pink everywhere…
The tone is set to prepare our response to Barbie with a parody of the monolith and the apes in 2001, little traditional girls smashing their dolls overawed by the statuesque Barbie. This is emphasised by the sardonic expression of Helen Mirren’s voice-over commentary. We are immersed in Barbieworld, the parody of the sign of BARBIEWOOD, and images of Barbies on Mount Rushmore! In this living toy world, today is the best day, so was yesterday, so will tomorrow. Writer-director, Greta Gerwig, has said how she talked with Peter Weir and it would seem that this toyland of niceness is parallel to The Truman Show and Truman’s genial, if sheltered, life. But, with Margot Robbie sparkling as Barbie, song and dance routines, and lots of doll -like behaviour, she suddenly mentions death to general Barbie horror. She consults Weird Barbie (the sardonic Kate MacKinnon) who sends Barbie (who comes to realise she is “Stereotypical Barbie” because, as happened in the real world with the Mattel company, there are Barbies for all seasons, for all the races, for all builds (and a lot of American and British cast enjoying embodying these Barbies) on the journey into the Real World.
In this Barbie world, many of the Barbies are high achievers, including the president, an author, scientist. Kens (and just as many Kens as Barbies in form, race, abilities…) But the Kens are preoccupied with themselves and their own rather vain images. The lovelorn Ken (Ryan Gosling having to do a lot of the jokes and parody turns) hitches a ride into the Real World. Barbie is on a quest to meet her real-life owner of the past, a secretary and designer at the Mattel company, played strongly by America Ferrara, with her rebellious daughter (Ariana Greenblatt) and becomes more aware of the complexities of actual living (including sexual harassment). But Ken goes to Malibu, tries to be a doctor without qualifications, discovers the Patriarchy after he sees some horse-righting and enjoys developing macho attitudes. He goes back to Barbieworld and transforms all the Kens into vain strutting types, and turning all the Barbies with their talents into Bimbo Barbies at the beck and call of the Kens.
In the meantime, the Mattel company (allowing itself to be sent up) are concerned about Barbie on the loose. They go into aggressive mode, all the Board on rollerskates, led by the CEO, Will Ferrell in one of his manic performances.
Barbie goes back to Barbieworld with her owner and her daughter, dismayed at the male takeover, Ryan Gosling is Ken running things, ineptly. So, a mission to overcome all the brainwashing of the Barbies, getting them back to themselves, asserting themselves and their authority, using the tactic of getting the Kens to fight among themselves (quite elaborate choreography for the battles and confrontations). Down with the patriarchy.
Some commentators have mentioned that there are many preaching moments throughout. There are. And in many areas they would be well needed. The best is in a long litany of critique of macho Patriarchy by America Ferrara. And Margot Robbie also gets this kind of speech. However, there is a pleasing ending, with veteran actress Rhea Perlman as the creator of Barbie, reminiscing about her daughter, the doll modelled on her with her name, but the reality of her daughter having to grow up, to become a woman, in a man’s world, but to stand up for herself believing she could be anything she wanted to. Amen.
(It would be very interesting to be a fly on the wall to hear conversations between young women and their boyfriends about women and the patriarchy after their seeing this film.)
1. Barbie dolls for more than 60 years? The original, the stereotype, over the decades the many variations on Barbie? Can, in relationship to Barbie? The development of many Kens?
2. The promotion for this film, marketing success, and instant worldwide success?
3. The attraction for audiences, for women and memories, four girls, dolls, toys, playing with the dolls? The role of the Ken doll? The opening, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Margot Robbie’s Barbie appearing like the monolith, little girls smashing their dolls? Then the tone of the voice-over commentary throughout – Helen Mirren and her tone? Preparing the audience for the critique?
4. The technical quality of the film, the recreation of Barbies world, in pink, the animation backgrounds, the settings, homes, events, bills nights, costumes and decor? The choreography and the dancing? The choreography of the Kens confrontations at the end? The contrast with the real world, California, LA, Malibu and the beach, the corporations and buildings…?
5. The musical score, the range of songs, song and dance routines, Barbie songs, kens songs, and the message of the lyrics and commentary on the themes?
6. Margot Robbie as Barbie, pretty in pink, statuesque, her voice store audience, every day being nice, her frequent changes of clothes, the daily routine, floating down to wherever she wanted, mimicking the meals like the meals that little girls with their dolls? The range of Barbies, beauty, race, shapes, wheelchair, the range of Barbies? And the range of Kens? Every day being the best and happiest? The dance, Barbie mentioning death, the reaction, Barbie covering? The discussions with the other Barbies, her going to see Weird Barbie, and the story visualised of what had happened to her?
7. Weird Barbie, her appearance, the splits, somersaults, listening to Barbie, the advice, to go to the real world?
8. Barbie, preparing to go to the real world, her car, the talking with Ken, his being one among many, the attraction to Barbie, nice but gawky Ken, is hitting the ride, singing, Weird Barbies description of all the vehicles and trouble, including space! But arriving in California, LA?
9. Ken going off on his own, his background at the beach, if not qualified to be a lifesaver, presuming he could do anything, the encounter at the hospital with the doctor, not qualified for any job? Seeing the image of the horse riding, seeing the horses, his discovery of the Patriarchy, enjoying it, indulging it? His return to Barbie world, all the other Kens, persuading them, brainwashing the Barbies, there becoming bimbos the service of the men? The men taking over the presidency and governments? The subservience of the Barbies?
10. The Mattel company, the secretary and her designs, negative images? The board meeting, the CEO, will Ferrell comedy, the messenger about Barbie and Ken in the real world, the reaction, financial considerations, the pursuit, on the rollerskates, discovering Barbie, the CEO changing his mind, the financial possibilities?
11. Barbie on a quest, to seek her under, the portrait of the secretary, the alienation of teenage daughter, the clashes, memories of Barbie in the past, the secretary and her love for Barbie, confiding in her, discovering her, the meeting, the joy, a new quest, to return to Barbie world and female assertion?
12. Audience response to the principles of male-female, female-mail equality? The realities in the real world? As exemplified, the sexual harassment and Barbie socking the harasser? The all-male Board of the company? The presupposition is? Judging vain match our attitudes?
13. The return to Barbie world, the three women, in the car, the initial hostility of the daughter, the discussions, the memories, the daughter won over? Their dismay to see all the Barbies losing their powers and talents, at the service of the Kens? The various speeches, preaching to the audience, the secretary and her long litany of dominating male attitudes? Barbie and her speech?
14. The confrontation with the kens? The easy life, hedonistic, the challenge? The disregard of the women’s ideas?
15. The plan, the debriefing of all the Barbies, their resuming their real selves, abilities? Disturb the Kens so that they rival each other, the comedy of the tactics, Ken and his sloppy house, his description of it, taking it from Barbie? Setting the Kens amongst themselves, the rivalries, the confrontations, the fights, their forgetting about governance?
16. The Barbies themselves again, subduing the men, and the assertion of female equality, abilities, governing…? The Barbies growing up into women, the audience left wondering about the Kens?
17. Barbie and her meeting with Angela, the friendly meeting, Ruth appearing again, the revelation about her creating Barbie, calling it after her daughter, her daughter having to grow up, to be a responsible woman? And this reassurance for Barbie – and for the audience?
