This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, BARBIE being covered here wouldn’t exist.
This article contains spoilers to Barbie.
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie has been making the rounds on social media for a few weeks now, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down—and nor it should. While some spectators are blown away by the set and costume design, others are in awe of the cast and their outstanding performances. All the while, we can’t stop talking about one specific moment, masterfully played by Ferrera’s Gloria.
Barbie is without a doubt one of the most polarizing films of the 2020s. One side celebrates the nostalgic story of self-discovery and dread of change, while the other, primarily made up of white men, burns Barbies and films it before posting it on the Internet for all to see. But what is Barbie all about? Gerwig’s satirical, self-aware story follows a Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie), who must maintain a beautiful, cheerful persona while living and thriving in Barbie Land. According to The Narrator (Helen Mirren), Barbie lives in the pink-soaked dream world with other Barbies, including President Barbie (Issa Rae), Physicist Barbie (Emma Mackey), Doctor Barbie (Hari Nef), and Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon), among others. Kens can also be found in the city of everything plastic. Stereotypical Barbie’s Ken (Ryan Gosling), whose job is “the beach”, always follows his love interest and tries valiantly to catch her attention.
Soon, everything changes when Barbie’s feet flatten, and she is abruptly overcome with thoughts of impending death and everything related to this situation. It turns out that Gloria (America Ferrera), a Mattel employee with her own issues, particularly those involving her daughter Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt), is the person Robbie’s character must seek out in the real world as she’s the cause of this unwelcome issue.
Barbie is jam-packed with all the essential, uplifting, amusing, and candy-sweet things. Gerwig gives us a story about the fear of change, growing up, and the unique link between daughters and mothers through the hilarious characters on screen.
One of the most important aspects of Barbie is America Ferrera’s monologue about how it’s like to be a woman in contemporary world. In a scene where she, Sasha and Barbie attempt to reprogram brainwashed Barbies, Ferrera’s Gloria lets her long-suppressed emotions off the leash.
It is literally impossible to be a woman. You are so beautiful, and so smart, and it kills me that you don’t think you’re good enough. Like, we have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we’re always doing it wrong. You have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can never say you want to be thin. You have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to be thin (…). You’re supposed to stay pretty for men, but not so pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women because you’re supposed to be a part of the sisterhood. But always stand out and always be grateful. But never forget that the system is rigged. So find a way to acknowledge that but also always be grateful. You have to never get old, never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never show fear, never get out of line (…). I’m just so tired of watching myself and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us. And if all of that is also true for a doll just representing women, then I don’t even know.
Reading even a portion of this iconic speech causes the words to echo in our thoughts as we recall instances from our lives where we may have felt somewhat like Gloria. Ferrera’s character recounts the contradictions put in front of women every single day of their life. It remains compelling even though the moment may also come off as a little bit of corny and campy—or maybe that’s the point?
There are reasons for why this Barbie moment went viral and it became so important for women and girls. It’s one of the few films that captures the hardships of being a woman in the modern, patriarchal world so perfectly. We seldom ever discuss the double standards that we frequently meet in all facets of our lives. Doing the “right” thing seems nearly impossible since you’re either damned if you do or damned if you don’t.
Although Gloria’s speech is a main topic amongst the viewers, Gerwig also touches on the impact patriarchy has on men. Yes, the director portrays Ken as an extension of Barbie, which is exactly how women are frequently portrayed in media and cinema, particularly in films from the 2000s. But Gosling’s big-hearted, blonde Ken goes on his own journey, learning about patriarchy and exposing the absurd expectations placed on males. Ken learns a lesson too, and discovers that men’s’ world is also toxic, and how men fall prey to it while frequently defending it. All this while joining Barbie’s journey as she learns about the grim, black, white, and grey world.
Without a question, Barbie is a cultural phenomenon. It’s the movie that set a record for the highest grossing film directed by a woman. It’s rather intriguing that a movie that seemed so trivial attracted such a large audience and sparked a heated, divisive debate on social media in the weeks after its debut. Nevertheless, it appears that practically everyone can gather something from the movie. Particularly if you want to fully appreciate Ferrera’s inspirational message.
Barbie is still in playing in cinemas. If you want to read my review, head here.
The Film Nerdette 
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