The Kens had their fun, but they're fine with going back to how things used to be in Barbieland. Barbie and Barbieland is an idea, not a reality, and it's when we learn to accept that difficult truth that we can all begin to heal, move forward, and overcome the cruel structures of human existence.

The opening of 'Barbie' lulls the audience into a sense of familiarity, feeling like the most expensive advertisement for the Mattel corporation ever made, but that's before peeling back layer after layer, like a wardrobe of Barbie fashions, until the heart of the film is laid bare.

This realization allows Barbie to finally come of age and come to terms with what it's really like to navigate the world as a woman.Īs existential as 'Barbie' is as a story, it's also a laugh-out-loud romp with eye-popping production design. Borrowing elements from the extensive lore of the famous doll and the brand's mark on pop culture, Gerwig weaves the idea of Barbie within the parameters of our own patriarchal society and muses on how the expectations of women aren't so different than what is expected of Barbie. Greta Gerwig has made a name for herself as a filmmaker by telling touching coming-of-age stories like 'Lady Bird' and 'Little Women,' and her hot pink blockbuster 'Barbie' is no different.

Wild hearts crew mattel dolls