The Barbie movie is in a league of its own, with thematic messages, a killer soundtrack, and a crazy cast, all wrapped up in a hot pink Mattel bow.
Barbie: The Soundtrack
Donned in my best pink attire, I experienced Barbie in a sold-out theater full of pastels and hot pink. We laughed, we cried, and we cheered throughout the emotional rollercoaster of the hour and a half film.
Right off the bat, Margot Robbie entrances the audience by beautifully portraying our favorite doll. From the way she eats, to the way she dresses, to the iconic shoe scene, our childhood comes to life on the big screen in an explosion of color.
There are so many parts of Barbie that deserve praise. First off, the soundtrack was expertly curated. Consisting of the likes of Sam Smith, Dominic Fike, Lizzo, Charli XCX, Nicki Minaj, and Pink Pantheress, each scene was complemented by the perfect song. The soundtrack was iconic before the movie’s release, but took on a life of its own on the big screen.
Lizzo’s “Pink” opens up the film, providing a great soundtrack to picture-perfect BarbieLand as we walk through a day in the life as Barbie. Later on, the funniest song (though not on the official soundtrack) can be found in what became the patriarchy’s themesong, “Push” by Matchbox Twenty, sung by all the Kens at one point in the story. Lastly, the most iconic and beautiful track is Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?”. The song plays as Barbie makes a life-changing decision. A montage is shown on-screen, displaying women in all walks of life- the realities of humanity becoming clear. It encapsulated Barbie’s feelings and said everything that she could not find the words to portray. The feelings of uncertainty and hopefulness, softly playing during the most emotional scene in the movie. It was a tear-jerker, for sure.
Barbie: The Messages
Moreover, the themes explored in Barbie were purposeful and intimate in an unexpected way. America Ferrera’s Gloria and her on-screen daughter, Sasha, encounter a transformative experience that rebuilds their connection from the inside out. And it’s all because of Barbie. Facing their own insecurities, both Gloria and Sasha learn that their faults and quirks add, not take away, from their worth as a woman. For Barbie and Ken, they learned to be enough independently, rather than as a package duo. Barbie is still Barbie without Ken. Ken is still Ken without Barbie. And that was enough.
What nobody could’ve predicted was the hard-hitting scene between Barbie and Ruth Handler, the inventor of Barbie, at the end of the movie. Exploring themes of family, of confidence, and of self-worth, Barbie portrayed so many little girls’ dreams, but also their insecurities. And when she finally realized her own worth, she made a decision with her own happiness in mind- not everybody else’s. She felt capable of anything- which is the essence of Barbie in the first place. So capable, that she *SPOILER* decided to become human.
Lastly, the film contained many layers to it dissecting a woman’s role in a male-driven society. To watch even the most perfect of people (or dolls) experience doubt and inferiority to men in the real world and BarbieLand… that was the most hard-hitting theme of all. While Ken thrived for doing the bare-minimum, Barbie was relentlessly harassed, underestimated, and objectified. Ken loved the real world so much he established a patriarchal society, donning Barbieland his own Kendom. And hence subjecting all the Barbies to servitude for their own Kens. For any women watching, we knew these scenes all too well.
Greta Gerwig Does It Again!
To try to deduce Barbie into a singular word would prove difficult. It was emotional. Empowering. Hilarious. Inspirational. And so, so much more. The best way to learn more about the movie is to simply watch it yourself. Put on your favorite pink outfit and make sure to bring the tissues! Until then, you can experience a sliver of the film in the soundtrack linked below:
