'It's a Barbie World' Barbie Hits it Out of the Ball Park and Scores HUGE in the Box Office!
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Barbie scored BIG numbers this weekend at the box office. An estimated $155M was made in its opening weekend, the company said.

 





The Mattel film, from director Greta Gerwig, was released on Friday 21 July and has earned rave reviews.

Barbie tells a coming-of-age story of the children’s character where she explores her identity and encourages her friend Ken to establish individuality.

Margot Robbie plays a version of the doll alongside Ryan Gosling, who plays a version of Ken. Also starring in the film is America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Issa Rae, and Will Ferrell.

Watch the trailer:

 

Hour Detroit:

Spoilers Ahead!

The film begins with a reference to 2001: Space Odyssey, as narration done by Helen Mirron narrates the history of Barbie and how she came to be the perfect toy for little girls. Then it switches to a pink-filled Barbie Land filled with Barbies, Kens, and then simply Allan.

 

Barbie is living her Barbie Dreamhouse life in Barbie Land with the other Barbies and Kens, swimming and having dance parties. Her life is perfect and stereotypical — hence the name “Stereotypical Barbie,” which is given to Margot Robbie’s character.

 

The Beach, which is designated as Ken’s career (besides being Barbie’s boyfriend, of course), is where Ken and his multiples try to catch waves and impress a Barbie or two. The sole purpose of Ken, it seems, is to be there for Barbie. As it says, “she’s everything, he is just Ken.”

 

The film takes a turn when Barbie starts to have unexpected thoughts of dying, her feet turn flat, and she even develops cellulite. Barbie then heads over to Kate McKinnon’s Barbie, aka “Weird Barbie,” to figure out why she is experiencing these things. Barbie realizes she needs to go into the real world and find her human to bring back the childhood bliss of playing with Barbie dolls.

 

And so, Barbie and Ken set off into the real world, using tandem biking, boating, snowmobiling, and driving a car to get to Los Angeles, which is where Mattel headquarters are. The goofy and loveable CEO of Mattel, played by Will Ferrell, sets off to find Barbie and put her in a box.

 

As she explores the real world, she realizes that men have more of an advantage — there’s no all-female Supreme Court (like in Barbie Land), and men have the upper hand — while Ken learns about the patriarchy.

 

The movie explores many messages and themes including sexism, friendships, mother-daughter relationships, femininity and masculinity, and even the thought of life and death in general. The movie also reflects on how women feel and also how they fit in.

“Barbie” earned a PG-13 rating from the Motion Picture Association for “suggestive references” and “brief language.”

 





Viewers flocked to social media to share their reactions:

BBC, Hollywood Reporter, ABC, Hour Detroit


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