Step back streaming, the new golden age of cinema is upon us. Visionary Director Greta Gerwig has broken down barriers and redefined the movie-going experience with her billion-dollar summer blockbuster Barbie (2023). This film has catapulted Gerwig into the global spotlight and has been crowned as the first solo female director to direct a billion dollar, global box office film.
This cinematic masterpiece has been a beacon of light especially during this tumultuous time in the entertainment industry with the writers and actors striking to fight for a better future in Hollywood. Let’s explore the various key factors that paved the way for this critically-acclaimed film to swiftly soar to the top, spark meaningful conversations as well as how it has impacted the industry and society as a whole.
It’s Barbie’s World, We’re Just Living in It
Who would’ve thought that a film about a doll would take us on a whirlwind journey that made us emotional wrecks as soon as the credits rolled? Barbie has been every little girl’s companion that has made such a huge impact on our formative years. She not only brought joy, playfulness, and entertainment but also ignited our curiosity, stimulated our creativity, and encouraged us to aspire towards ambitious goals and dreams.
Although, that’s not to say that it did not have its fair share of controversies and issues. The doll became a stereotype and the societal characterization of beauty and perfection for the longest time. Little did we know that over the years, it has gradually set unrealistic beauty standards that became damaging especially to young girls who felt the pressure to look exactly like Barbie in order to feel loved and accepted.
For this reason, many came to the cinema expecting to see a superficial story of a doll solely meant to entertain and give us a good laugh. Instead, Gerwig caught us by surprise and brilliantly humanized Barbie, which showed us the version of her as a woman of today, with goals, dreams, identity crisis, and issues that we can relate to on a personal level. Not to mention, she seized the opportunity to shed light on social issues and systems such as gender inequality and identity, patriarchy, and abuse of power among others.
Key Factors to Its Success
Gerwig’s distinct vision and directorial style brought a fresh perspective to the story of Barbie by creating a world and bringing to life characters that are complex, multi-dimensional, and authentic. She also tapped into a narrative that dives deep into universal themes of self-discovery and non-conformance to societal expectations that brought a whole new depth and meaning to Barbie’s story.
Representation
One of the most important things that the film did respectably right is promoting diversity and inclusion by ensuring that the characters and also the cast diversely represented the widest demographic as much as possible. It was refreshing to see different versions of Barbie beyond the stereotypical figure that we never got to see growing up. This made the storyline more unique, significant, and relatable to global audiences as they finally saw themselves represented by the characters and their journeys.
Character Development
This brings us to another essential aspect, namely the manner in which the dynamic duo of Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach crafted and developed the characters. This played a pivotal role in shaping the significance and influence of the narrative. Each character had their own want, need, struggles, and wins that made them compelling and memorable. As previously mentioned, we delved into a dimension of Barbie that went beyond her superficiality, fostering a new fondness, connection, and empathy for her persona because we see a side of her that is just as flawed and intricate like us.
Tackling the Issues
Furthermore, what sets the film apart is its brilliant approach to tackling today’s social issues surrounding body image, self-identity, and gender inequality in a fun, hilarious, and emotional way. It was able to bring these rampant social issues to the forefront and spark thought-provoking conversations that induce positive change so we can move forward in the right direction. America Ferrera’s monologue that encapsulated these issues was extremely empowering and inspiring that it truly deserves a film and award of its own. In addition to that, they also made a powerful move in creating Ken’s character as a person of his own and not just Barbie’s muse. The film evokes a powerful message about feminism and patriarchy, depicting a world where different genders peacefully coexist and that working together yields greater results than being in conflict and competition.
Immaculate Design
Finally, the captivating performances, visual artistry, cinematography, whimsical production design, catchy music, and chic costumes transported us back to the recollections of our childhood and into a realm of enchantment. It felt like an immersive journey of living in Barbie’s world that we used to enjoy as a kid. It was a purely entertaining, nostalgic, enlightening, and cathartic experience that we haven’t seen in a while in the big screen.
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie stands as a testament to the unifying and transformative power of storytelling, proving once again that cinema can be one of the most effective platforms to challenge norms, spark conversations, and ignite our sense of wonder when done right. Its billion-dollar success in the box office is truly reflective of its excellence and Gerwig has proven that audiences crave original and refreshing ideas and stories, and if you give artists full control of their art and allow their imagination, voice, and vision to shine through, it can move mountains and bring storytelling to greater heights.
