Before I saw the Barbie movie, I heard so many people give their hot takes on it but I didn’t want to weigh in until I’ve had some time to see and digest the movie so I could decide how I feel about it personally. Now that I have seen it, my verdict is that I really like it.
Here are the reasons why I think you would too;
1.
If you are a comedy lover like me, you definitely would love this movie. In my opinion, it was very funny. There were some adult jokes I hope passed over the kids heads. The Nigerian in me could not stop thinking that they actually pay adults to act this silly but of course, that did not detract from the acting. It was on point. It was how I would expect dolls to act so I had no problem with that. The musical numbers and choreography also made me laugh out loud at the sheer silliness of it... but... I loved it. It was a good portrayal of what I imagine a world full of dolls would be. 10/10 for artistic and creative direction.
2.
The setting, the costumes and the casting was on point. It was bold. Colorful. A delight. I loved all their choices so I didn't give this part much thought. Everything was so in sync that it was easy to get immersed in every scene. From the acting of all the Barbies and kens to the Barbie Dollhouse to the Los Angeles scenes, to the Costume choices as the plot developed. I really liked it all and I think you would too.
3.
I saved the best for the last. The best reason why you should see the Barbie movie is the theme of self discovery which you and I can relate to (being on a self growth journey). The movie explores many themes starting with the existential crisis of Barbie the doll. This is something we all can relate to. We’ve all dealt with existential crisis at some point wondering: who am I? We all know that feeling you get when you finally look in the mirror and you’re thinking so this is me, so I am human, so I am existing. This is usually the starting point of every self growth journey. Tell me if you can't relate in the comments.
The message that stood out most for me is the importance of getting to know yourself first before delving into a relationship with anyone. Explore who you are so you don’t end up feeling lost or loosing your identity before you've had the chance to discover it. It's important you discover who you are as a person and develop a relationship with yourself before jumping into any other relationship.
We see this play out at the end when Barbie tells Ken she would like to get to know herself instead of being with him.
This is the part where I believe some people have misconstrued to mean that the movie is sending the message that women do not need men.
As it relates to self discovery, the movie explores the fact that a woman should know that she has options and she can choose to be who she wants to be and pursue the careers of her dreams. A woman should be able to decide what she wants her life to look like and be accepted for it.
The problem however is that people have taken the message a little too literally. It's important to note that the entire movie is a satire. It explores such important themes in today’s world and sheds light on controversial issues women face in the world through use of symbolism and metaphor.
An example of this is the choice to keep things female dominated in Barbie world. This is a metaphor for how patriarchy plays out in the real world. The real world is male dominated and women have had to fight over the years to even have a choice over their body, talk less of their career choice.
Therefore it was an intentional to keep roles women dominated in Barbie land to portray the fact that despite how much women fight for equality in today's world, it still is not fully accessible. According to the movie, patriarchy is still alive, it's just hidden better and the society is more subtle about it.
So interpreting this to mean that the movie is advocating that women do not need men is to view it from a myopic perspective.
I think it’s important for us to view it from a different perspective which is that this movie is not to pit men against women or women against men but to explore the disparity between the choices available to both genders in a world we both share.
The movie explores how ken is able to feel at home in the real world because of the choices available to him in the male dominated world while Barbie feels objectified, small and vulnerable.
The movie is not saying women don't need men. It's saying women should know that they have options and men should accept them as equals.
In a society where women are conditioned to look a certain way, be a certain way, act a certain way, it’s important to potray this reality and let women know that they have options and choice.
From a self growth perspective, the movie is saying that you need to discover yourself (I'm not talking about the gender spectrum here), I’m talking about reassessing all you’ve taken in as a child, keep what’s useful for your growth as a human being and work on putting aside the unnecessary trauma. I know it’s easier said than done but it’s better to stay on the straight narrow path.
As humans, we are a product of our environment. We can’t change the environment we are born in but we can choose. Our background makes us who we are but our choices makes us who we become. The power of choice is what the society wants to take away from you. You can choose to be better, to do better, to make the world a better place.
Thank you for reading this blogpost.
If this is your first time reading my blog, welcome. Thank you for checking it out. My name is Afolabi Aderonke Mautin Salamat also known as AM SALMA or thatLagoshijabi and I share all I learn on my self-growth journey with you. Each month, I explore a self growth concept. This is post is dedicated to all the beautiful women working on themselves to grow and heal.
In the meantime, you can check out my previous blog posts and let me know your thoughts (I appreciate constructive feedback).
October - Self-forgiveness
November - Self-awareness
December - Mental Decluttering
January - New Beginnings
February - Self-Love
March - self - discovery
July- self - reflection
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I'm sending you lots of love and light till we meet next time.
Peace be upon you!
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