MOVIES IN LA PLAZA: THE "BARBIE" PHENOMENON

Movie Review by Sergio Martínez

During and in the months following the pandemic, it was evident that the crisis affecting the movie exhibition industry was deepening. Obviously, the pandemic had reduced the number of moviegoers in theatres; on the other hand, streaming platforms, such as Netflix, were gaining popularity.

The release of a new instalment of the Mission Impossible franchise was seen by some film-market analysts as the salvation of the film industry. But, lo and behold, it was not the car chases or the risky manoeuvres of agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) that caused an explosion in movie theatre box offices, but the fantastic comings and goings of a doll-we are referring, by the way, to Barbie-that brought people back to the movie theatres en masse, at least in this boreal summer.

Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie, has been not only a commercial success but it can also be said that --despite the prejudiced view that many may have of the character— it is a film with a well-articulated story, an interesting plot and actors and actresses who deliver convincing performances.

In its introduction, the film alludes to what we can call "the Barbie phenomenon", that is, the change in the relationship between girls and dolls that occurred after the introduction of Barbie in the market in the 1950s (in the United States and North America in general, in the rest of the world it would only reach the toy market in the last decades of the last century). In fact, before Barbie, girls played with dolls representing babies. Thus, from an early age, women were socialized for an essentially maternal role. Barbie, on the other hand, being a grown woman and also very beautiful, breaks with this image of the feminine toy. By playing with Barbie, girls no longer "train" themselves to take care of their future babies but rather project themselves as they would like to be, obviously beautiful, wearing pretty dresses and enjoying the company of a handsome boyfriend.

The stereotypical Barbie (and in the film, the original Barbie played by Margot Robbie, makes it present several times) reflected an ideal typically representative of a middle and upper-class white race; however, the company that created the doll, Mattel, would soon have a great idea and that is reflected in the premise of the film: women, with the rise of feminism and its incorporation into labour fields traditionally dominated by men, also required that these new roles were reflected in popular culture. Barbie then, from being a mere representation of a superficial "bimbo" and only concerned with her appearance, becomes a doctor, lawyer, astronaut, and engineer; in short, the fields were now unlimited. She also diversifies racially and ethnically.

Is Barbie a feminist film? That depends on how that ideological conception is understood, and it is difficult to give a categorical answer without entering a complex debate, which is not the purpose of this article.  In the beginning, we see Barbie and the other Barbies in their predictable fantasy world; we also find there her boyfriend, Ken (Ryan Gosling), who, like the other male characters in the story, does not show great brilliance. In this, the director, who is also the screenwriter together with Noah Baumbach, follows a long-standing tradition in film and television in which women (wives, mothers and even mothers-in-law) were often smarter than men. Recall series such as I Love Lucy, in which Lucy routinely got what she wanted despite her husband's objections, or The Flintstones, where Vilma showed better judgment than Fred. It can be said that, in a male-dominated society, popular culture, especially through television and cartoons, instead gave women an act of revenge, placing them as the ones who, in the end, put some order and rationality in everyday life. It is also the premise in Barbie, with the difference that now women are taking steps to take more decisive roles in society.

It is precisely what triggers the dramatic conflict in the film's plot: an unexpected event that alters Barbie's life and self-perception leads her to find out how to solve the problem. The answer she receives surprises her but does not discourage her: she must move from her fantasy world to the real world. There begins her adventure, in which, not to be outdone, her boyfriend Ken joins her.

Barbie's foray into the real world --she appears in Los Angeles— unleashes new problems, apart from the natural misunderstandings between the characters-dolls and real humans. Of the latter, Barbie must find one who played with her as a child, Gloria (America Ferrera), whose daughter Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt) wants nothing to do with the famous doll. The doll's presence in the real world is also a problem for Mattel, Barbie's manufacturer. A hilarious chase ensues here: the firm's chief executive (Will Ferrell) will feverishly try to put Barbie back in her packaging. (To Mattel's credit, this must be the first time that the very firm co-producing the film appears as the villain of the story.)

Barbie may or may not be an icon of feminism (at least in North America), but it is a film worth seeing, if possible, in the company of your daughters, granddaughters or young nieces. The plot of the film develops well, except for some parts that become somewhat repetitive when the characters arrive in Los Angeles; the pink scenic design of Barbie's fantasy world is a success. Very good performances by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.

Running time: 114 min.