‘Greta F—ing Gerwig’ and Other Takeaways from ‘Barbie’
By Cinema Sugar
As Barbie continues to dominate the box office and the cultural zeitgeist, we break down exactly why we love it so much.
1. Permission to wear pink
For the last few weeks, everywhere you go in Los Angeles you see women decked out in pink. I went to another movie the other night and met a woman who was seeing Barbie for the third time (wearing her third curated outfit for the occasion). It doesn’t matter where I am, someone is saying “Hi Barbie!” “Bye Barbie!” I can’t be the only one blasting the soundtrack on repeat, right? This movie is an utter cultural phenomenon. And the biggest takeaway for me didn’t come from the movie itself—though there were many of those too—but the movie gave women, girls, and boys alike the permission to wear pink and be silly. —Natalie Pohorski
2. Greta F—ing Gerwig
Say it with us now: FIRST FEMALE-DIRECTED FILM TO MAKE $1B AT THE BOX OFFICE. It’s astonishing to consider how bad this movie could have been in the hands of maybe any other director. But in true Gerwig fashion, it’s infused with such heart, soul, sophistication, and sincerity that’s simply (and evidently) impossible to deny. —Kevin Prchal
3. More women, not more Mattel
It’s very fitting that the highest-grossing film ever directed by a woman would be one that explores themes of feminism, womanhood, and female self-worth, and we should all bow down to Greta Gerwig for pulling off what she did. Crucially, though, we should see the success of Barbie as a giant fluorescent sign pointing to more women-led and women-helmed projects, not more movies simply based on decades-old IP. —Elliott Cuff
4. Pixarbie?
Colorful, reality-adjacent world building; characters experiencing an identity crisis; funny, emotional, crowd-pleasing script packed with deeper ideas. To my great surprise, this film left me buzzing on a familiar high resembling the ones I experienced after watching Pixar masterworks including Inside Out, Up, and Soul. —Kevin Prchal
5. There’s deep healing in heartbreak
The movie goes beyond acknowledging the experiences of women. It drops you into a dream world where women are king and shows you just how ridiculous the oppression of women has become. Then getting thrust back into the real world the audience experiences the helpless feeling that is unfortunately frequent for women today and historically. There is deep healing in seeing Barbie’s heartbreak for women in the real world. This commiseration is key to unlocking the empowerment that the movie leaves you with. But first, you get to experience the incredible and absolute catharsis that comes from Gloria’s monologue. —Natalie Pohorski
6. Production design is queen
Given that we’re living in a time where each new superhero blockbuster looks more and more like a computer-generated video game cutscene, how great is it to see set and production design thrive? Barbieland feels like an authentic and tangible place, and that’s because it actually was. (To quote Issa Rae: “It’s a dream house, motherf***er.”) Surely it’s time to award Sarah Greenwood with an Oscar win? —Elliott Cuff
7. Get over it, dudes
To any dudes taking issue with how men are portrayed and examined in this movie, ask yourselves: When is the last time a commercially successful movie made you feel this way? If the answer is “never,” you are correct. Let this new feeling sink in and use it as a source of reflection (or dare I say laugh?) instead of getting all Corleone about it. —Kevin Prchal
8. Big points for the score
The soundtrack is fun and phenomenal, but what tied this movie together was the score by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt which is brilliantly woven into the soundtrack. The stringed main theme feels fantastical, optimistic, and motivating no matter where you hear it, whether at the dreamhouse party or the Barbie board meeting. It gives you a sense of purpose, like you know where you’re going. This sharply contrasts with the delicate, emotional piano themes we hear with Gloria’s memories and Barbie’s most profound moments and extends to the Billie Eilish “What Was I Made For?” soundtrack entry. —Natalie Pohorski
9. Conflicting thoughts can co-exist
For every subtle and not-so-subtle jab the movie aims at Mattel and the concept of Barbie itself, it also takes the time to honor and salute the IP that brought life to the pastel-colored fever dream we’re all watching. For anyone who doesn’t understand that praise and criticism don’t have to be mutually exclusive, Barbie asks that you take note. —Elliott Cuff