The highly anticipated film premiere of ‘Barbie‘ is finally here. The iconic plastic figure, reimagined by Greta Gerwig, is ready to grace the big screen and meet its eager audience this week. The high-octane marketing campaigns and buzz surrounding the movie have set the bar high. Pre-release views look promising, and initial reviews suggest potential Oscar nominations. But as we know, the real truth unfolds when the masses witness the movie and take to social media and other platforms to voice their verdict.
One thing is sure, the movie is humor-laden. Early viewers have used words like “smart” and “sharp commentary” to describe it. It’s evident that ‘Barbie’ is more than just a comedy capitalizing on a popular brand. It transcends this categorization and achieves a whole new level of engagement, thanks to its impactful meta-commentary. The effectiveness of this approach is still under scrutiny, but Gerwig’s ingenious utilization of meta-commentary has definitely created a buzz.
What Sets the Tone for the Barbie Movie?
Humor, sarcasm, and meta-commentary set the stage for ‘Barbie‘. Meta-commentary, essentially a message delivered on a subject while influencing how it’s interpreted, makes the film stand out. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, the film’s stars, applauded Gerwig’s role as director in a recent interview with Screen Rant.
Gerwig’s multifaceted approach to the film has earned her accolades from Robbie and Gosling. This multi-layered direction is what makes the movie deviate from Barbie’s conventional trajectory.
Historically, Barbie has always been a product targeting girls. Despite societal transformations, progress in women’s rights, and LGBTQ+ movements, the doll continued to occupy a more conservative position, with media related to her mostly presenting fantasy plots for children.
Gerwig’s film highlights this, recognizing the enchanting world of dolls while juxtaposing it with real life. This shift of perspective from Barbie’s world to a larger context gives the movie its unique meta quality.
While the film could have been a documentary or a serious portrayal of Barbie’s unrealistic standards, Gerwig opted for a comedic tone. The biting social commentary, heavily rooted in humor, makes certain poignant messages more palatable to an unsuspecting audience.
Balancing a relatable comedy with a powerful self-reflective message about Barbie and her history is no mean feat. Early reviews suggest that the ‘Barbie’ movie has successfully incorporated entertaining meta-commentary, the very element that gives the film its unique character.
What is the Actual Plot of the Barbie Movie?
In a nutshell, the plot centers around Barbie and Ken as they abandon the magic and comfort of Barbie Land to experience the real world, which might not be as dazzling as they anticipate. On the surface, the storyline appears to be a rehash of Disney’s Enchanted, with Barbie as the lead. However, the key distinguishing factor is the multi-layered meta-commentary and the absurd nature of this multi-dimensional film.
Robbie explained in the interview that Barbie symbolizes many things to viewers of all ages. She has held all sorts of jobs and has been a part of many significant events in the 20th and 21st centuries. In many ways, the movie’s real protagonist is anyone who has ever played with a Barbie or has had any connection with the product at any point in their life.
Themes of social and gender stereotypes, mother-daughter bonds, and impossible beauty standards emerge from viewers’ relationship with Barbie and the film’s meta-commentary. These themes add a new dimension to the doll and transform it from a mere toy to a symbol of evolving perceptions of the world.
Meta-commentary or meta-humor, although not a new concept, has gained significance among younger generations. In a rapidly changing world where some perspectives quickly become outdated, the redefinition of icons provides fresh life and meaning to established classics.
Gerwig’s movie is set to breathe new life into Barbie, achieving the seemingly impossible feat of transforming Barbie from a mere girl’s toy to something much more significant. As audiences start flooding movie theaters, the world will soon realize that Barbie has a lot to comment on the contemporary state of the real world, a world far removed from her magical realm.
