The long awaited and highly anticipated Barbie movie is here to shake up the summer. Although many believed the movie would solely focus on Barbies and Kens in Barbie Land, fans were in for a great surprise. Director and co-writer Greta Gerwig, alongside co-writer Noah Baumbach, worked diligently to grasp the audience’s attention with real world problems including femininity, womanhood, misogyny, the patriarchy, self-confidence, self-worth, self-identity, power and of course humor. This film has set off a fire in fans, as they have broken records with new TikTok trends emerging nationwide. According to Forbes, with the help of the United States’ unwavering support, this iconic and timeless movie grossed $155 million within opening weekend, shattering expectations.

As one of the most influential toys of all time, there has been a tremendous amount of pressure, anticipation and suspense regarding how Hollywood would portray such a quintessential and prominent figure. In previous Barbie films, Barbie was rarely anyone other than a white woman, which unfortunately does not appeal to the toy’s entire target audience and supports unrealistic beauty standards. Meanwhile, this latest version spoke to and is considerate of an audience of women and young girls of all races, which piqued a substantially higher interest globally. Now young girls of any demographic who still play with Barbie dolls, as well as teens and adults who no longer do so, can watch a Barbie film where there’s inclusivity, a higher degree of relation, representation and a feeling of “I matter.”

The main character, Margot Robbie, played as the “stereotypical Barbie”, which she explained is the “the Barbie you think of when you hear the name Barbie.” Additionally, in this film, Barbies portrayed numerous roles that are a reflection of our society today, including Issa Rae as President Barbie, Kate McKinnon as Weird Barbie, Hari Nef as Doctor Barbie, Alexandra Shipp as Writer Barbie, Emma Mackey as Physicist Barbie, Sharon Rooney as Lawyer Barbie, Dua Lipa as Mermaid Barbie, Nicola Coughlan as Diplomat Barbie, Ritu Arya as Journalist Barbie, Ana Cruz Kayne as Judge Barbie, and so many more. Furthermore, Ryan Gosling played as Ken, alongside the movie’s main Ken co-stars: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Scott Evans, Ncuti Gatwa, and John Cena as Mermaid Ken. Last but not least, we cannot forget about Allan, portrayed by Michael Cera, who encapsulated every scene he was in.

This is such like a thing people say when they do press for a movie. They’re like it’s for everyone. But it was literally crafted to be for everyone. Greta said from the beginning like this a big pie, and everyone is invited.

Margot Robbie during an interview with Extra

Robbie then continued the conversation sharing how a great portion of the movie is very silly and will attract young children. However, there are also jokes that children are too young to understand. Meanwhile, adults who have a great interest in architectural and interior design will be genuinely intrigued by how well-crafted Barbie Land is. Additionally, during this interview, she highlights there are scenes men in particular will relate to, as well as mothers, thanks to actress America Ferrera as Gloria. Therefore, Barbie is undoubtedly a movie everyone should see.

Not only does Barbie have great comedic taste, especially with comedic actor, Will Ferell, as the CEO of Matel, but it also focuses on the meaning of life. More specifically, the movie takes a deep dive into how women are perceived by society, especially by men, as well as how external pressures can create internal issues within a woman, and how women can sometimes lose themself in a man, which is why it is vital to stand up for yourself. These important discussions were a shock to not only the audience, but even the actors as well, who assumed the movie would be merely playful. Nonetheless, Gerwig’s decision making on the plot of Barbie is the reason why this movie is so remarkable, relatable, and ultimately a great watch.

Unquestionably, Barbie is one of the best films of the summer and is a must see for everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and religion. Fans are more than welcome and encouraged to see Barbie with their family, friends, lovers, or even by themselves. Essentially, no matter what, every viewer in the audience will leave the movie touched and with a better sense of self, reality, and hope from when they walked into the theater.