I recently saw the hit 2023 film Barbie directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. I went into this movie knowing little to nothing and left the theater feeling like Gerwig took a look inside my brain and decided to write a movie about it. Much like all of Gerwig’s other films, this movie left me in awe, tears, and laughter at how beautifully it was written, how tastefully it was shot, and the delicacy in which it handles the topic of womanhood.
I remember being a kid and playing with my Barbie dolls. Barbie had the ability to be anything, and she was. She was an astronaut, a teacher, a mother, and so much more. Barbie has the ability to make little girls feel validated in their interests and potential career choices from a young age. I never felt restricted because of Barbie–if she could do it, why couldn’t I? And the movie treats the whole essence of the Barbie doll with a fierce love and respect that left me walking out of the theater wishing I still had my old ones.
The movie handles these issues with such care and delicacy that it is hard to not feel impacted by it. As a viewer, and especially as a woman, you watch this film and see mirrors of your own life and childhood. When the movie starts, you will crave an adventure to Barbieland, to be with like-minded women and people who probably understand you. But as the credits roll, you’ll walk out of that theater thankful for the life you have and ultimately be reminded of the beauty of womanhood and life itself.
This movie was beautifully crafted and treated each character with such respect and care. Gerwig does a fantastic job at showcasing the inner conflict that comes with being a woman, and not just the pressures put on you by society but the pressures you put on yourself. The movie perfectly encapsulates the feminine need to be perfect, to have no flaws or mistakes, and how hard it is to overcome that. Greta Gerwig is arguably one of the best directors out there; she handles each and every project she is given with such love and compassion that it’s hard not to fall in love with every single thing she puts out.
If you haven’t seen the Barbie movie yet, I highly recommend it. And when you’re feeling down and don’t know what to do with yourself, remember: You’re Barbie. He’s just Ken.