FILMS X JENI’S: Barbie
This Barbie has a lot to unpack in this one.
She’s camp. She’s self-aware. She’s meta. She’s really, really pink.
Most of all, she has a message to deliver to every generation and gender.
Despite the fact that no one fully comprehended what it was going to be about, this has undoubtedly been one of the most highly anticipated films of the year. With an incredibly start-studded cast and the highly-acclaimed direction of Greta Gerwig, how could it not be? Needless to say, it had a lot to live up to. There were the people who went because they were excited about a concept that was essentially live-action Toy Story for girls; then there were the people who got dragged to see it by some external force (whether it be partner or fomo or the cultural phenomena of it) but basically they expected it to be overly-feminine fluff. That being said, I don’t think I can adequately say it lived up to any expectations because it was so different than most people imagined it to be.
To put it plainly, this movie had depth. It started in the place that everyone expected it to: light and fluffy and stereotypical Barbie. Then it quickly progressed (perhaps a little too quickly) into a piece of emotional complexity and societal existentialism. With a clever bubblegum facade, the Barbie movie examined and deconstructed the patriarchy so that women, children and even the thickest of straight men could begin to understand it.
If I could explain it in a metaphor, this movie is equivalent to being gifted a book called “Examining How the Pressures of Society Negatively Impact Generations of the Female Experience” but having it wrapped in beautiful, shiny pink paper with ribbons and glitter and all sorts of fun stuff to distract from the bomb that’s about to drop.
I kind of really loved it. It was fun and aesthetically pleasing but also delivered a depth that I didn’t fully expect. It’s a movie that I would not only raise children on but introduce to every generation because I think they all have something to glean from it. For kids, it’s a silly and fun movie about a toy they all know but with undertones of what the world we want them to live in should look like and what to stray away from. For Gen Z and young Millennials, it addresses the issues with society we’ve come to realize and strive to change. We’re probably the largest audience for the movie and although the majority of us need its message the least, it’s nice to see it have the platform it does; there’s a kind of validation and hope that accompanies seeing the cause you’ve been fighting for being amplified in this way. For women, it represents the internal and external pressures they’ve been trying to live up to for generations and reminds them of the power that comes from uplifting and supporting other women. For men, it’s an eye-opener as to how much society continues to benefit and reward those with penises, how the patriarchy looks in action, and what it would look like if the opposite were true.
It’s really interesting to consider who the primary audience was meant to be for this movie because while I undoubtedly think there’s a takeaway for everyone, there are two groups of people I particularly think would benefit from seeing it:
Men (or people in general) who continue to contribute to gender roles and neglect to acknowledge the inequality men and women face in society. *Note: this requires a willingness to listen and self-examine.
MOMS. The more the plot progressed, the clearer it became to me how loud a message there was for mothers in this story. Moms need to see this partly for their daughters - so they raise girls who understand what a society looks like in which women know what they deserve, are treated as equals and continue to empower each other - and just as much for themselves. They need to be reminded they are individuals outside of their partner or children or work or anything else that’s been used to define them and remember the strength and value they inherently carry with them. I couldn’t help but think about my mom and how much I would love for her to internalize the lessons it was giving.
One thing I hate to admit but would be completely remiss not to discuss: how much I loved the Kens. They simply understood the assignment so well. They were dumb and funny and camp and over-the-top and provided such levity despite being a vehicle for the much more serious issue of the patriarchy. Ryan Gosling was an inspired stand out with choices and musical numbers that unsurprisingly earned him a place as one of my favorite parts. And as odd as it feels to give the Kens so much credit considering the overarching themes of the movie, I think their presence was important; not only for all the aforementioned reasons, but because ultimately the moral wasn’t that men were the enemy but simply that equality is what we all ultimately should strive for, and in order to achieve that we’re all going to have to work towards it together. After all, the world is made up of both Barbies and Kens.
And Allan. Really, we should just be Allan.
At the end of the day, I think this movie is a beautifully respectable recreation of what Barbie can mean for women - or perhaps a return to what she was meant to be from the start.
Would I watch it again? Yes. It would by no means be my car movie (it would get really annoying really fast), but it’s one I’d happily rewatch to continue dissecting the nuances within it.
Tear level: your brother took your favorite Barbie and cut off all her hair
Watch when: you want something fun and happy that’s also able to be analyzed
Soundtrack/score: I don’t remember the score but the soundtrack is FIRE (Ken tracks in particular)
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The Jeni’s Pairing
I’m sure you can predict the direction this is going: what would the Barbie movie be without a perfectly pink ice cream pairing? This is a trio in a waffle cone because it’s doing the most and just pure fun. Our first scoop is Strawberry Buttermilk because it’s a sweet, comforting and reliable classic - just like Barbie. Next we’re adding some Frosé Sorbet because, of course, Barbie loves to party. Finally, we’re rounding it out with Dolly Parton’s Strawberry Pretzel Pie - it’s extra, one of a kind and somehow Dolly and Barbie just make sense together.
MORE ON THE FLAVORS:
When Ohio strawberries are at their peak—juicy, fragrant, with a tart edge—we buy up thousands of pounds per week from neighboring farms. Beautiful strawberries so high in sugar and low in water content that they have flavor for days. We use fresh cultured buttermilk—sourced from our friends at Arps Dairy in Ohio—to complement the natural acidity of the berries for a flavor that’s always springy, bright, and popping with fresh strawberry flavor.
Simple, bright, refreshing—it’s exactly what you want on a hot day. We start with rosé from Peregrine Ranch in Sonoma Valley. A fruity rosé filled with notes of bright strawberry, subtle blackberry jam, and hints of lemon zest. It’s got crisp acidity and a dry, refreshing finish. We amp up all these flavor notes with added pear and strawberry, plus watermelon essence and lemon juice. It’s great topped with your favorite sparkling wine, a shot of tequila, or even more rosé.
Strawberry Pretzel Pie is a throwback to the triple-decker classic of the potlucks of our youths. Layers of salty pretzel gravel, subtly sweet and effortlessly sweet-tart cream cheese ice cream, and lipstick red strawberry sauce. As smile inducing as Dolly Parton herself.
