The Barbie movie finally hit theaters on Friday, July 21, and officially kicked off hot pink summer. (Even though the hype for this movie has been so big, I’ve already been living in a Barbie world for months.) Now that fans have hit theaters to see Greta Gerwig’s masterpiece, they’re taking to social media to praise the Barbie movie’s final line. Spoiler alert: Spoilers for Barbie follow.
At the end of the film, Gloria and Sasha drop off Barbie at an office and wish her luck. Barbie walks into the office and says, “Hello! I’m here to see a gynecologist.” And the movie ends. For one thing, the line is a nod to Barbie dolls not having genitals, which comes up multiple times in the movie itself, but also has a bigger coming-of-age meaning — it represents the transformation of a girl literally turning into a woman. Fans on Twitter are praising Gerwig — and the film’s star, Margot Robbie — for the line and its delivery.
The film opens with a nostalgic nod to the original Barbie from 1959 in her iconic black-and-white swimsuit. From this image alone, Barbie is portrayed as a blonde, thin, and fashionable figure. As the story unfolds, a cute little montage of Barbie’s various looks and careers emphasizes the expectations placed upon her as a toy. She was designed to embody numerous roles and professions, anything that promoted the idea of the “ideal” woman.
Because of this, throughout the film, Barbie seeks to find where she truly belongs, whether that is the perfect world of Barbie Land or the complex world of our own. Through her mission, Barbie evolves from a shallow, self-involved individual to someone facing an existential crisis (the terrible flat feet syndrome and fears of cellulite). She comes to realize that the essence of womanhood and humanity goes beyond careers and appearances. After a tearful moment of introspection, Barbie is confronted with a choice: to remain a toy or to embrace her humanity.
Barbie makes a powerful choice to take control of her narrative and forges her own identity, moving beyond the confines of the “stereotypical Barbie.” Barbie’s journey is thought-provoking and low-key relatable. And in the end, Barbie goes where she’s never gone before — the gyno.
The line is initially shocking (my jaw actually dropped, while the theater erupted in laughter and “Barbie World” by Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice blasted with the credits). Especially since moments before, Barbie was unsure of her future — she knows she’s not in love with just Ken, and can’t go back to who she was before. Barbie even says, “I don’t think I have an ending.” Despite this, the hilarious turn of events solidifies Barbie as a real human being. Handler, Barbara, that is.
What might have been a throwaway gag at first, the final quote is actually the most pivotal part of the film. These lighthearted moments highlight the absurdity of society’s obsession with unrealistic appearances and expectations.
Barbara’s transformation into a Birkenstock-wearing individual who is fully embracing her body is one of the realist moments to hit the silver screen. As Barbie herself embraces all of her new imperfections and quirks, viewers are able to embrace their own past experiences of girlhood, or even womanhood, and ultimately feel more comfortable in their own skin.