Everyone has heard of Barbie. Whether or not you’ve seen it, you’ve been encapsulated by Barbie’s world. The film has sparked a wave of Barbie talk, memes, and merchandise. The star-studded cast, the press tour, the release, and the box office records raise the question: what is it about this film that was able to entice such a diverse amount of people to want to view it?
Barbie follows the Mattel toys Barbie and Ken as they take on an adventure in the real world. If you’ve heard the movie is anti-men, you are wrong. Greta Gerwig, director and co-writer of Barbie was able to find a sweet spot, displaying what it is like growing up as a girl while also providing comedic relief at the same time. Being able to find that sweet spot is extremely difficult, one does not want to come off as insensitive, but Gerwig was able to pull it off.
Another reason Barbie is so refreshing and fun to support is because of its records making it be put on the board. It’s down as the largest opening weekend of the year and the biggest-ever debut for a female director. It’s on its way to becoming America’s highest-grossing movie of 2023 by any director. There is a constant fog over women in the entertainment and media industry, and they are grossly overlooked and under-credited. It’s sad, but it’s true. Barbie breaking all these records helps put all the movies directed by anyone on the same pedestal and playing field.
With Barbie, Gerwig has rewritten the standard for good movies. She created a film for everyone, with parts every person could enjoy. In a time when cinema was slowly drowning due to streaming services, social media, and the pandemic, it gave people a reason to attend the theater. People dressed up and made events out of attending the movie. Even if someone hated it, it sparked new conversations and allowed people to think about things differently than before. It was something that brought people together; it gave new light to the entertainment industry. Barbie will go down in history.