Top 10 Things We NEED to See in the Barbie Movie
#10: Pink Aesthetic
Pink is Barbie’s color, and we have full confidence that her live-action movie will lean into that in creating her universe. We’ll surely see this reflected in the fashion, because our girl always has the best outfits. We also can’t wait to see how the sets will follow suit while channeling what director and co-writer Greta Gerwig has called “authentic artificiality” – in Barbieland, at least. It is a doll’s world, after all! Set photos as well as production designer Sarah Greenwood revealing that their use of pink paint contributed to a literal shortage has us convinced the team will deliver. Aesthetically, we’re thinking pink and smart, because the two aren’t mutually exclusive, despite what society may want us to think.
#9: Every Cast Member Getting Their Moment
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We know Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling will thrive as iterations of Barbie and Ken. But we’re hoping everyone else in the fantastic ensemble cast gets to shine, too. After all, the best films utilize each character, creating a fleshed out world that audiences can immerse themselves in. We can’t wait to watch America Ferrera as a human contending with dolls arriving in the real world. We’re also just as excited to see Will Ferrell channel his inner antagonist while bringing the laughs, and Kate McKinnon being the most unconventional Barbie out there. That’s saying nothing of what the likes of Emma Mackey, Issa Rae, Simu Liu, and many others bring to the table. There’s endless talent, and we can’t wait to see how it’s spotlighted!
#8: Nostalgia
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Raise your hand if you grew up playing with Barbies. We definitely did, and we don’t think we’re exaggerating when we say the iconic doll holds a special place in many hearts. Maybe you’ve even held on to a few of them as you’ve gotten older. Now, we certainly expect this movie to go beyond what we know about the titular character. But we also hope she’ll be honored, and that there’ll be oodles of built-in nostalgia. There’s potential for everything from specifics (like the Dreamhouse) to the general energy running through the project to take us back to our childhoods. We want to feel like kids again and remember exactly why we love Barbie so much in the first place!
#7: Greta Gerwig’s Signature Flair
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Helming a film about such a beloved doll is no small task. But there’s nobody we trust more for the job than director and co-writer Greta Gerwig. One need only watch any of the movies she’s been behind – like “Lady Bird” or 2019’s “Little Women” – to see why. Gerwig always understands exactly what a story needs, and is able to mine sharp comedy and wit without sacrificing depth. Plus, her art speaks important truths, while also being plain entertaining and captivating. She’ll make you laugh, cry, scream, or smile – sometimes all at once, depending on the occasion! By putting her own unique spin on a “fish-out-of-water” trope, we’re sure she’ll infuse “Barbie” with plenty of emotional intelligence.
#6: Great Music
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The right soundtrack can elevate a motion picture, taking us even deeper into its story. Everything we already know about “Barbie: The Album” has us excited to listen to it in full. We have no doubt it’ll be everything we need: fun, catchy, peppy, danceable, and karaoke-worthy. Just look at the artists featured, like Lizzo, Haim, Karol G, Khalid, and yes – Ryan Gosling! Plus, Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice collaborating with Aqua on "Barbie World" is something straight out of our “Barbie Girl”-flavored dreams. We’d also be remiss not to mention Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night,” a single we haven’t stopped bopping to since we heard it. You could say we expect this soundtrack to hit all the right notes!
#5: All Kinds of References
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Barbie has a rich history. People often talk about her outfits, but let’s not forget they tend to represent her plethora of careers! Indeed, ever since we met her in her striped bathing suit in 1959, she has done everything from go to space to work as a CEO. The movie posters and footage that have been released luckily confirm we’ll be seeing nods to her past – like the aforementioned swimsuit, her famously pointed feet, and the various Barbie characters’ jobs. We hope the film goes far in this regard, perhaps even touching on the story of the doll’s creator Ruth Handler? This, and the pop culture references that’ll likely abound, will make “Barbie” a true delight.
#4: Ryan Gosling’s Kenergy
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This one is pretty self-explanatory, isn’t it? We can’t give an exact definition of what ‘Kenergy’ is, because really, it’s more of a state of mind. It’s the kind of thing you instantly recognize when you see it. And as far as we can tell, Ryan Gosling has it in spades. Every movie clip confirms this, as do the wide array of amazing quotes he’s given about his role. The thing is, the fun of Ken is that he’s secondary to Barbie. This is her moment – he’s just tagging along, and we’re here for it. We can tell Gosling is going to fully embrace the silliest parts of the character, bringing humor and taking himself just seriously enough. That’s our Ken!
#3: An Array of Diverse Barbies
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As much as we love Barbies, we can’t deny they haven’t been nearly as representative as they should be. While Mattel has taken steps to increase the dolls’ diversity, historically Barbie has been largely white, able-bodied, and had impossible proportions. This has rightfully led to lots of criticism. We have a sense Greta Gerwig is acutely aware of these issues, and that the movie will work to champion racial diversity and a wide range of body types. After all, that’s a benefit of the plot, where there isn’t just one Barbie and one Ken, but rather a plethora of them. Each one is different, because no two people who play with the dolls are the same.
#2: Digging Deeper Into Barbie’s Personality
Technically, there’s a lot of information about Barbie out there. But her history – and very impressive long line of careers – aside, what do we really know about her? Okay, you’re probably thinking a doll can’t necessarily have much of a personality, and fair point. But now that she’s being brought to life in live-action form, we want to get to know her in a deeper, nuanced way. Who is she? What makes her tick? We imagine that when the film starts, Margot Robbie’s version of Barbie herself won’t necessarily know all the answers. But here’s hoping she learns plenty about herself from the adventure she goes on in the human world, because we look forward to seeing her personality on full display.
#1: Barbie Dismantling the Patriarchy
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Hey, if anyone can do it, it’s her! Granted, asking a fictional character based on a doll to completely alter society in the span of one film is a lot. But even if Robbie’s Barbie doesn’t literally dismantle the patriarchy, we’re betting she’ll go against the grain, subverting traditional gender norms and calling out sexist tropes. Can’t you see it now? The titular character enters the real world and comes to realize how messed up things can be. Who among us hasn’t had those “oh” moments growing up? Something tells us our protagonist won’t take inequitable power structures lying down, though. We’d guess that by the end, both Barbieland and the human world will be better off for it.
