Expanding the legacy: ‘Barbie’ review

Assistant News & Lifestyle Editor

Imagine a world where women ran everything. For Barbieland, this is the reality.

Most young girls grew up playing with baby dolls and other feminine figurines, but what happens when a doll can be a doctor, a lawyer or even the president? It inspires.

On July 21, Greta Gerwig released her third solo directorial film “Barbie,” and the expectations were high from all media sources. The box office for the film’s opening weekend speaks for itself.

“Barbie” follows the stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) as she begins experiencing strange behavior in Barbieland. By the advice of “weird”

Barbie (Kate McKinnon), Barbie ventures into the real world with her companion, Ken (Ryan Gosling). Expecting things to return to normal after their separate adventures, both Barbie and Ken bring back a new way of life in Barbieland.

Every part of “Barbie” exceeded my expectations. From stunning visuals and stellar performances all around, “Barbie” will be one of the biggest films of the year, possibly this decade.

Gerwig had one of the most tasteful representations of misogyny I have seen in film. Without giving away crucial details, as I believe it would be a disservice to the audience, it displayed an accurate difference in how women view men and how men view women.

The film dove deep into Mattel’s history with all things Barbie. From the pregnant Barbie, Midge, to Ken’s buddy, Allan, there were plenty of surprises included for any fan of Barbie. Even decades worth of fashion was displayed in commercial like sequences. Gerwig and other crew members truly thought of everything when cultivating their practically perfect film.

Michael Cera (Allan) is one of the main pinnacles of humor; his role was important in the instance of helping the Barbies get away from patriarchal brainwashing and comedic relief. Mattel employee and mother, Gloria (America Ferrera) was able to articulate the women’s experience and portray someone who was inspired by the beauty of Barbie. Will Ferrel, who portrayed the Mattel CEO, brought an eccentric look into a villainous corporate figure.

Although certain monologues felt service level of what women have to go through on a daily basis, it still hit where it needed to. It was surprisingly thought-provoking, and considering the amount of promotion and work the crew has put into this, the female-fueled film is well deserving of its success.

“Barbie” had a production budget of 145 million USD. In America, the box office made 155 million on its opening weekend. Other countries accumulated 182 million for a global total of 337 million. Gerwig claimed the largest opening weekend of 2023, and the biggest debut for a female director, which feels fitting for the theme behind the film.

Gerwig’s “Barbie” also surpassed Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” which was released on the same day and also had an extravagant amount of media attention.

The film only expands Barbie’s legacy; for years to come it will continue to inspire women, and hopefully men, everywhere. One of the biggest things I have taken away from the almost two-hour-long ode to womanhood is that having emotions on top of logistics does not limit powers; it expands them.

This stands tall because Barbie can be anything. Women can be anything.