Barbie - In theaters July 21, 2023

[bloodsnake007]

4.00 star(s) Rating: 4.00/5 6 Votes

Title: Barbie

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Director: Greta Gerwig

Cast: Margot Robbie

Release: 2023-21-07

Plot: A doll living in 'Barbieland' is expelled for not being perfect enough and sets off on an adventure in the real world. A Live-action feature film based on the popular line of Barbie toys.

 

[tommyh84]

Well I am a woman and I still think Gosling stole it.

 

[Flloydo]

I thought it was a brilliantly written and acted film. I laughed non stop. And the sets were gorgeous.

The best way I can describe it which I’ll be using constantly is literally stupidly genius.

And Michael cera man! Lol

I love how it’s heavy on feminism and lets loose on how men really are but then backtracks and shows the struggles from both sides anyway. And let’s be honest it’s all true. Like that one comment from the builders when they explain that they have no genitals. Just a genius and frightening comment at the same time. And that final line lol.

Truly a f**ked up adult film that’s not for kids at all except for maybe the vibrant pretty colours.

All this did was cement further for me that Margot and Gosling are two of the best actors around. And Greta and Noah are just fantastic writers and filmmakers. Films like this also kinda depress me because I didn’t follow my dreams as a filmmaker or screenwriter! As sad as that sounds

All the cameos and characters were just spot on and I can’t stop thinking about it

The Kenergy is real

Spoiler

A lot of men won’t enjoy this because they will feel attacked but I was so impressed how they handled it all.

The comment about how in the real world that men rule and run the world and that men can hate women but then a split second later it’s commented that also women hate women.

The comments on how Mattel creating barbie ruined kids perception of how women should be when they are grown up and how superficial they could be in life. It’s all very deep but they make a point that this isn’t just feminism. They balance everything out.
Blowing my mind how people have come away not noticing all this.

Not to mention the IRS comment. That surprised me that Mattel allowed that but also tip my hat to them.

 

[Lenny Nero]

If the Drinker is right about this movie, I'm going to be pissed.

 

[Flloydo]

If the Drinker is right about this movie, I'm going to be pissed.

He’s genuinely right for the first 20 seconds. Then the tw@t just gets it completely wrong after that


God why do people watch such drivel on YouTube. Lol

 

[Vega]

He’s genuinely right for the first 20 seconds. Then the tw@t just gets it completely wrong after that


God why do people watch such drivel on YouTube. Lol

I haven't seen the film (nor plan to) but even the wikipedia plot summary lines up with what he says.

 

[Flloydo]

I haven't seen the film (nor plan to) but even the wikipedia plot summary lines up with what he says.

I don’t mean he gets the plot wrong. But he still completely misses the point and his wording makes it out to sound so much worse than it is.

But I turned it off after a min because his voice winds me up and he’s clearly hurt by something which is hilarious

 

[Vega]

I don’t mean he gets the plot wrong. But he still completely misses the point and his wording makes it out to sound so much worse than it is.

But I turned it off after a min because his voice winds me up and he’s clearly hurt by something which is hilarious

Mhh okay. Reading the plot summary alone I got a similar interpretation from it though...well, it's not even an interpretation, it's kinda in your face imo.
Given that you're someone who's seen it and liked it, what's your personal reading on the plot?

 

[Flloydo]

Mhh okay. Reading the plot summary alone I got a similar interpretation from it though...well, it's not even an interpretation, it's kinda in your face imo.

I’ll say this about what I’m getting from a lot of these comments on social media or these kinds of YouTube videos. It’s not aimed at you but this is how i see it.

So men in the real world are cool to have trophy wives that they treat like an accessory but in the fictional world of barbie they can’t flip reverse it so it’s the men/ Kens are an accessory?

Your watching a barbie film. Where they have always run their own world and barbie land. Not a Ken movie. Or barbie and ken movie.

Some men just seem so fragile to me. The same men that watch films from the 80s and 90s where the beautiful woman was nothing more than a pretty smile, blonde hair and t!ts and used exactly the same as an accessory and was called doll or sweetheart but not trusted to do anything else in those movies other than to moan or weigh the man down. But everyone is as fine with it.

A grown man seriously hurt making YouTube videos on the subject that this is what happens in the barbie world is so ironic to me. Don’t get me wrong it’s not a kids film. Or at least for kids under 14. There were 6 of us that went. 2 guys and 2 girls all in our late 30s and 2 16yr old girls (my mates daughters) who also enjoyed it so maybe some of these men that are not happy with how it portrays men in the real world are just not happy that their young daughters are finding out through what people thought was a harmless barbie film the truth about the majority of the world and how it operates. How not everything or everyone is equal.

Or if they don’t have kids, are annoyed that this is how they are portrayed when a lot of it is true. A dig to everyone that is like that way to the opposite sex.

I’d also like to point out that in the film when a human is explaining to barbie what men are like in the real world they tell her most the time men hate women. they also straight after state that a lot of women also hate other women. And that the idea of barbie and it’s physical dolls actually damages and brainwashes young girls into thinking how they should be when they’re older and that they should be thin and pretty etc. There’s more but it’s all mentioned.

But anyway that’s the vibe I get from some of the comments from guys I’ve read online since seeing it. As I say that’s not aimed at you but what I read into the comments all coming back to why they won’t watch it or was disgusted by it after watching it.

Given that you're someone who's seen it and liked it, what's your personal reading on the plot?

How do you mean? As in does it bother me? Nah the plot is fine imo (unless you mean something different)

The ending however, I can see both arguments tho. But it still kinda makes sense to me still. It’s a barbie world not a Ken world at the end of the day.

 

[KarlieFloss]

These people are adults, incredible.

 

[NateDog]

Don't know who "The Drinker" is and I'm not even watching the video but can guess what it's about lol. The amount of butthurt from so many men about this is hilarious and expected, the irony about them expecting this movie to pander to them and give men not even equal but superior footing to men over women within the movie is so perfect I can't even begin to explain it. The further irony is about (Gosling's) Ken's insecurities and that men complaining about this is effectively proving the movie's point.

 

[Vega]

I’ll say this about what I’m getting from a lot of these comments on social media or these kinds of YouTube videos. It’s not aimed at you but this is how i see it.

So men in the real world are cool to have trophy wives that they treat like an accessory but in the fictional world of barbie they can’t flip reverse it so it’s the men/ Kens are an accessory?

Your watching a barbie film. Where they have always run their own world and barbie land. Not a Ken movie. Or barbie and ken movie.

Some men just seem so fragile to me. The same men that watch films from the 80s and 90s where the beautiful woman was nothing more than a pretty smile, blonde hair and t!ts and used exactly the same as an accessory and was called doll or sweetheart but not trusted to do anything else in those movies other than to moan or weigh the man down. But everyone is as fine with it.

A grown man seriously hurt making YouTube videos on the subject that this is what happens in the barbie world is so ironic to me. Don’t get me wrong it’s not a kids film. Or at least for kids under 14. There were 6 of us that went. 2 guys and 2 girls all in our late 30s and 2 16yr old girls (my mates daughters) who also enjoyed it so maybe some of these men that are not happy with how it portrays men in the real world are just not happy that their young daughters are finding out through what people thought was a harmless barbie film the truth about the majority of the world and how it operates. How not everything or everyone is equal.

Or if they don’t have kids, are annoyed that this is how they are portrayed when a lot of it is true. A dig to everyone that is like that way to the opposite sex.

I’d also like to point out that in the film when a human is explaining to barbie what men are like in the real world they tell her most the time men hate women. they also straight after state that a lot of women also hate other women. And that the idea of barbie and it’s physical dolls actually damages and brainwashes young girls into thinking how they should be when they’re older and that they should be thin and pretty etc. There’s more but it’s all mentioned.

But anyway that’s the vibe I get from some of the comments from guys I’ve read online since seeing it. As I say that’s not aimed at you but what I read into the comments all coming back to why they won’t watch it or was disgusted by it after watching it.

How do you mean? As in does it bother me? Nah the plot is fine imo (unless you mean something different)

The ending however, I can see both arguments tho. But it still kinda makes sense to me still. It’s a barbie world not a Ken world at the end of the day.

Okay, that kind of lines up with what else I read online. Obviously it's ridiculous for me to talk about a film I a) haven't seen b) will never see and c) wasn't even made for me. But the aspect the youtubers you mentioned are talking about has obviously to do with culture war stuff. And I mostly share their sentiments tbh.

You have a fake barbie society in which the kens are the accessories to the barbies. And you have the real world where there are (some in reality, mind you, not the majority) men who treat women like that as well.
The proper arc would be that the characters see that real world and build a more fair society in barbieland. Even though we're actually living in a pretty equal society, mind you, especially in the west. The whole "patriarchy" world-view is just something I personally don't share. The world is not exclusively ruled by men anymore, which is why socio-political statements saying how men rule and basically ruin the world are incredibly alienating.
Even the Mattel board members in the film are not represented correctly. The real Mattel board has 5 women and 6 men, the film has only men. That's what the critical voices in the youtube-sphere talk about when they call something like this extremely "woke". The filmmakers pretend that there is this huge, unfair society in which men hate women or whatever. Like, what the hell? For example how all the guys in the real world seem to hit on barbie and harass her in the streets or in the police station. Like, not trying to be rude or confrontative, but do you personally actually see the world that way? I don't know a single person in my sphere of friends and other contacts who behaves like that, just slapping women randomly on the a** in the street, catcalling them etc. It's just reads like a cyincal view of society by writers who are either hurt and bitter by something different or want to create this hyper contagious debate around the movie and political subject matters. Because nowadays there will be people who will look at it and say "Finally! Someone said it" and people saying "What the hell is this p.o.s."

Again, I would have understood it if they showed certain injustices that obviously exist in all kinds of ways and in all kinds of categories and tried to do a clever twist on it in the end, a lot where men of certain social/monetary statuses are treated poorly too in the real world by the way. They marketed this film as "It's a party and everyone's invited". But from everything I've read and heard it sounds like exactly the opposite. I would have loved to see a film like this actually unite men and women at the end of the plot instead of doing exactly the opposite and even celebrating it. But that's just my personal opinion, obviously if you liked the film you have a different one and that's okay. I love the idea of their being a film meant for female audiences without butchering some franchise that was never meant for something like that. But to have a divisive message at the end and basically this "Fu** men" attitude is just something I find very sad.

 

[Flloydo]

Okay, that kind of lines up with what else I read online. Obviously it's ridiculous for me to talk about a film I a) haven't seen b) will never see and c) wasn't even made for me. But the aspect the youtubers you mentioned are talking about has obviously to do with culture war stuff. And I mostly share their sentiments tbh.

That’s fair enough

You have a fake barbie society in which the kens are the accessories to the barbies. And you have the real world where there are (some in reality, mind you, not the majority) men who treat women like that as well.

The proper arc would be that the characters see that real world and build a more fair society in barbieland.

Yeah so the ending is a bit odd in that way and I too would of preferred a fair society however their point in the film at the end is they will once the real world is completely fair an equal. So I see both sides on that argument. You need to remember too (not that you’ve seen it so you wouldn’t know), everything that happens in barbie world is a direct representation of the real world because it’s little kids controlling those dolls. Mainly little girls. When playing with the dolls they wouldn’t have the kens run everything and possibly wouldn’t even be completely fair. Some kids might. But they would play with their dolls acting like barbie are the bosses. So it’s a tough one because the barbie world also has influence on the real world on what toys they make. But that part is down to what sells well. Like Ken’s own home.

Even though we're actually living in a pretty equal society, mind you, especially in the west.

I mean we aren’t really. It’s better. But it’s still not and there’s room for improvement. Especially if in today’s world young lads are idolising and listening to every word that people like Andrew Tate and Jordan Peterson who literally talk about women like sh!t. So it’s still not perfect. And I don’t just mean companies either. Tbh most my bosses and managers in the majority of the jobs I’ve worked in are women. But the CEO etc are men. From my experience

The whole "patriarchy" world-view is just something I personally don't share. The world is not exclusively ruled by men anymore, which is why socio-political statements saying how men rule and basically ruin the world are incredibly alienating.
Even the Mattel board members in the film are not represented correctly. The real Mattel board has 5 women and 6 men, the film has only men.

Yeah so I don’t know why they made that choice other than to make it funny. I don’t know

That's what the critical voices in the youtube-sphere talk about when they call something like this extremely "woke".

Woke is used in the wrong way every time though. It’s used as a negative by people who now have found a word to hide what they truly mean. Technically everyone should be woke because progression is always a thing. Majority of the time they use the word when they aren’t happy with diversity for example. When diversity should be ripe. I know that contradicts the board members section but it is what it is. It’s just a film at the end of the day. All these people that are not happy don’t have to watch it and loose their minds over it when they were never going to like it anyway.
All the youtubers saying oh it could of been this easy watch with simple Ideologies and end up working together at the end would of found something else to be annoyed about and moan about. Like oh that’s ridiculous that would never happen etc. So you can’t really win when it comes to these people on social media and YouTube

The filmmakers pretend that there is this huge, unfair society in which men hate women or whatever. Like, what the hell? For example how all the guys in the real world seem to hit on barbie and harass her in the streets or in the police station. Like, not trying to be rude or confrontative, but do you personally actually see the world that way? I don't know a single person in my sphere of friends and other contacts who behaves like that, just slapping women randomly on the a** in the street, catcalling them etc.

Mate I’ve seen that a million times what you on about? Unless you live on a secluded island? I’ve been with girlfriends in the past when it’s happened to then in the street whilst I’m standing next to them (Cat calling) and I’ve nearly got into a fight. One my exes was mixed race and I heard the worst racism toward her when leaving a pub once by some f**king old bald w@nker that I was prepared to f**king put him in hospital. But luckily the bouncer had other plans and took him out the back and beat the sh!t out of him.

I was at V festival 12 years ago and some guy put his finger/ hand down my exes jean shorts when she was standing next to me. He literally run off into the crowd when she jumped and I looked round.

I’ve seen constant builders on sites whistle at women or shout out sh!t or comment on their breast or bum and also horrible things to what they consider uglier and larger women. I’ve been with my own mum when she was shouted stuff by f**king builders or a van going past with 3 tw@ts in the front seat shouting “OI OI” at girls minding their own business.

I’ve seen it happen to young girls who maybe wearing a short skirt and I mean underage girls too and the guys in the vans laugh.

I saw a woman older than me get knocked out by her scumbag bf in the car park where I live on my birthday 2 years ago. I had to chase him down the road but he got away.

I used to go clubbing in my 20s all the time and I’ve seen a hundred girls get their arses slapped by a random creep. Once so loud it went over the music and her bf turned round and kicked the sh!t out of the guy. That was in Birmingham snobs I’ll never forget that.

I’ve seen it all mate and it’s mental to think that don’t happen. Ok I’ve not seen a girl get her bum slapped in the middle of the street in broad daylight but I have outside kebab shops when a club pours out in my local town centre at 2am and there’s 200 people kissing, fighting, eating and abusing girls. When others stand around laughing.

I know 2 girls/ friends that when out with our work colleagues with 20+ male colleagues as well as the same amount of female colleagues get spiked and ended up in hospital. We couldn’t even protect them because we didn’t think something like that would happen. And it could even been someone they knew in the office! It’s disgusting

Not sure where you live but the U.K. is full of c*nts like that and I know for a fact other places around the world are the same. Not everywhere but a lot

It's just reads like a cyincal view of society by writers who are either hurt and bitter by something different or want to create this hyper contagious debate around the movie and political subject matters. Because nowadays there will be people who will look at it and say "Finally! Someone said it" and people saying "What the hell is this p.o.s."

Again, I would have understood it if they showed certain injustices that obviously exist in all kinds of ways and in all kinds of categories and tried to do a clever twist on it in the end, a lot where men of certain social/monetary statuses are treated poorly too in the real world by the way.

Oh yeah of course. I’ve seen men treated awfully too. By some horrible women. But the men were always worse and more occurrences.

They marketed this film as "It's a party and everyone's invited". But from everything I've read and heard it sounds like exactly the opposite.

So does every film have to show everything in the trailers? How many films out there where you think your about to watch one thing and it changes completely. People acting like barbie is the first to do this are so stupid and again looking for anything to moan about. It’s embarrassing

I would have loved to see a film like this actually unite men and women at the end of the plot instead of doing exactly the opposite and even celebrating it. But that's just my personal opinion, obviously if you liked the film you have a different one and that's okay. I love the idea of their being a film meant for female audiences without butchering some franchise that was never meant for something like that. But to have a divisive message at the end and basically this "Fu** men" attitude is just something I find very sad.

And I would of too. But as I stated they make a point that they won’t unite until the real world does

But also you’ve stated you haven’t watched it, never will and it’s not for you so why you so mad over their choices. How does it impact you? Why you watching YouTube videos on it from narrow minded men who are clearly in the same boat that they were never going to like. It’s very odd and completely backs up that it offends these fragile men. Men that are used to controlling their partners lives and sh!t. It’s weird

 

[vexred]

This film is upsetting all the right people, love to see it.

 

[Flloydo]

This film is upsetting all the right people, love to see it.

I actually got really angry at the comment about that don’t happen to girls, slapping bums and catcalling. I’ve witnessed so much of that to people I have no idea who they are to my actual partners or friends that I’m f**king furious I’ve had to type all that out

 

[NateDog]

For example how all the guys in the real world seem to hit on barbie and harass her in the streets or in the police station. Like, not trying to be rude or confrontative, but do you personally actually see the world that way? I don't know a single person in my sphere of friends and other contacts who behaves like that, just slapping women randomly on the a** in the street, catcalling them etc. It's just reads like a cyincal view of society by writers who are either hurt and bitter by something different or want to create this hyper contagious debate around the movie and political subject matters. Because nowadays there will be people who will look at it and say "Finally! Someone said it" and people saying "What the hell is this p.o.s."

Again, I would have understood it if they showed certain injustices that obviously exist in all kinds of ways and in all kinds of categories and tried to do a clever twist on it in the end, a lot where men of certain social/monetary statuses are treated poorly too in the real world by the way.

If you think men don't act like this in the real world then I don't know what can be said to you. Until I met my now fiancée I never fully understood it but it didn't take long by any means. Within 2 days of her starting uni she had one guy practically attaching himself to her at every opportunity, telling her about his home gym and etc etc. Didn't stop until I went up to collect her one day and caught him unawares and he ran away so fast you'd think he had never met her. Essentially every man she's befriended has come onto her, 90% in a forceful way, and on every occasion there has been this sense of deserving or being owed something from acting like they were being a friend to her. She's had abuse shouted at her, had passing comments made at her, had messages sent to her (including from people that live in the same town as her telling her that they're going to r**e her), she's been sexually assaulted. The small things and the big things happen far, far more often to women every day than you're suggesting, and the long-term implications of every single incidence can destroy a person.

I'm also curious about the "certain injustices that obviously exist" that you talk about the movie not showing. If the movie didn't show any of these then what are we missing?

 

[Noodles]

I actually got really angry at the comment about that don’t happen to girls, slapping bums and catcalling. I’ve witnessed so much of that to people I have no idea who they are to my actual partners or friends that I’m f**king furious I’ve had to type all that out

I remember the first time I ever witnessed catcalling and it was towards my older sister... I don't recall exactly how old I was at the time, but I was probably a pre-teen and it was like a sudden realisation of what grown men can really be like. Being raised single handedly by my mum and growing up with only sister's has thankfully taught me to respect women. My first job was full of adult men objectifying them and making crude comments about/towards them, and it was honestly disgusting. The fact I never participated led to them calling me "rent boy" and spreading a rumour that I was gay... I think the fact I wasn't bothered by it just threatened them more though lol.

 

[Noodles]

As for the film, I cannot wait to see it! And as a hetrosexual male, I'll happily admit to having a man crush on Gosling and him actually being one of the main reasons (as well as Margot of course) I'm excited to see it

 

[Flloydo]

I remember the first time I ever witnessed catcalling and it was towards my older sister... I don't recall exactly how old I was at the time, but I was probably a pre-teen and it was like a sudden realisation of what grown men can really be like. Being raised single handedly by my mum and growing up with only sister's has thankfully taught me to respect women. My first job was full of adult men objectifying them and making crude comments about/towards them, and it was honestly disgusting. The fact I never participated led to them calling me "rent boy" and spreading a rumour that I was gay... I think the fact I wasn't bothered by it just threatened them more though lol.

Sorry to hear that man. Look we’ve known each other 10 years now. We’ve been speaking outside the site over text for nearly the same amount of time. You know I’ve seen some bad sh!t too or stuff happening directly to a girl I’m with or my friends. I’ve sent you videos in the past. And not to mention the past 2 and half years of the stuff I’ve seen where I currently live. Chasing that guy who knocked that lady out etc. My next door neighbour at 34 losing her life and prior to that hearing her bf abuse her through the walls. Putting in welfare calls to my landlord to check up on her on inspections and then she lost her life. Going to police with video evidence and nothing being done. That hurts hearing people say things like that don’t happen to women. Ok that’s not a slap on the bum, it’s far worse but it 100% happens. Maybe I shouldn’t of mentioned all of that because it’s brought up memories I want to forget.

And same as you, i was raised and brought up strictly by women. Every man in my life who’s a father figure f**ked off after abusing my mum in horrible ways. Some of my closest mates are women too as you know so I’ll always stand f**king tall against that sh!t

 

[Noodles]

Sorry to hear that man. Look we’ve known each other 10 years now. We’ve been speaking outside the site over text for nearly the same amount of time. You know I’ve seen some bad sh!t too or stuff happening directly to a girl I’m with or my friends. I’ve sent you videos in the past. And not to mention the past 2 and half years of the stuff I’ve seen where I currently live. Chasing that guy who knocked that lady out etc. My next door neighbour at 34 losing her life and prior to that hearing her bf abuse her through the walls. Putting in welfare calls to my landlord to check up on her on inspections and then she lost her life. Going to police with video evidence and nothing being done. That hurts hearing people say things like that don’t happen to women. Ok that’s not a slap on the bum, it’s far worse but it 100% happens. Maybe I shouldn’t of mentioned all of that because it’s brought up memories I want to forget.

And same as you, i was raised and brought up strictly by women. Every man in my life who’s a father figure f**ked off after abusing my mum in horrible ways. Some of my closest mates are women too as you know so I’ll always stand f**king tall against that sh!t

See, having heard about the situations you've been in due that kind of behaviour from other men over the years has also opened my eyes a lot. I'm thankful for not having witnessed stuff like that firsthand, and I hope I never have to. But let's face it... we're lucky we'll never have to actually experience it ourselves. You've got to have lived a pretty privileged life to believe it doesn't exist in the world though.

Oh, and at least your mum seems to be in a good healthy relationship now

 

[Flloydo]

See, having heard about the situations you've been in due that kind of behaviour from other men over the years has also opened my eyes a lot. I'm thankful for not having witnessed stuff like that firsthand, and I hope I never have to. But let's face it... we're lucky we'll never have to actually experience it ourselves. You've got to have lived a pretty privileged life to believe it doesn't exist in the world though.

Yeah exactly

Oh, and at least your mum seems to be in a good healthy relationship now

And she’s happy now too which makes me happy.

I didn’t see @NateDog message at first but also pretty much everything he’s mentioned has happened to my friends too. The DMs some of them get too on insta. The majority are savage. I could never message girls the way some of these guys do. And when they know they’re in relationships too or married. It’s f**king mental. Constant d!ck pics. It’s wild

But nah none of this even happens and barbie has crossed the line! Ridiculous