CLICK HERE to See the comparison video between BARBIE and ROCKY.
Right out of the gate, Gerwig’s (ICONIC BARBIE) monologue written for America Ferrera starts with: “It’s literally impossible to be a woman!? Really? LITERALLY? ‘better spread that news, especially to all of the hopefuls who are transitioning. The thing I find so insidious and diabolical about the Barbie Movie is encapsulated in this incredibly DISempowering speech. The whole movie is cloaked as feminism, beating down objectification (by men) and pretense in the guise of a pink cartoon that is somehow “important” or “empowering” to women. It surely “touched a nerve” and “struck a chord.” It made over a billion bucks! Sadly, that just goes to show HOW MUCH FARTHER women need to go in honoring, uplifting, praising, encouraging, motivating, and respecting THEMSELVES! I want that for women. I want and give that respect to ANY woman who manages to respect herself. I don’t see my wife the way the Barbie movie sees women. My wife doesn’t see herself that way either. I believe that there would be great assets and facets to a “matriarchy.” If this pathetic victim talk is considered one of ‘em, then count me out. And, unlike the nonexistent ARC in the movie, I would hope, want, strive for a unity and collaboration between all people. An OMNIARCHY!
It's been reported that people on the set were CRYING after Ferrera delivered that monologue. They consider that “a good thing.” Nay, a GREAT thing. I say, I HIGHLY recommend therapy for anyone who is unconscious enough to fall for that “advice.” Sincerely. Self-help books, introspection, awareness, would all be great places to start. Take charge of your life. Wow. Once upon a time women were “put in their place.” Now, sadly, like the baby elephant tethered to the tiny stake in the ground that grows up to believe that tiny stake can still hold them down, it’s the women who are telling each other they are “not good enough.” Not strong enough. Not powerful enough…because the big bad patriarchy is still putting them there. And in an astounding and mind-blowing pile of hypocrisy, this speech extols how men and society somehow want women to be two opposing things. It is this movie that does that from start to finish. And why hasn’t anyone called out the fact that a shorter, curvier, darker woman like America Ferrera was not the lead…in fact, she even idolized and played with a blue-eyed, blond Barbie. Yeow. ‘reminds me of the horrific and enlightening Oprah expose’ on how little black girls chose little white dolls to play with. (Not cool.) That’s the movie to be made! If anyone is aware of the “Magical Negro” in movies (mostly) of long ago, I can’t help but think Ferrera is playing the “Magical Latina.” A crutch used to put the words into the mouth of the whitey who “can’t say those things.” Oh my. The movie and its creators have no “self awareness.” The irony is palpable. It’s like having the crossing guard be the one who runs over the kids in the crosswalk.
Take a tip from the (seemingly) lower(er) I.Q. character of Rocky Balboa. (Excerpt from Rocky 6: "Rocky Balboa".) He gives the advice that Gerwig would/should/could only hope to give. To be a victor, you must leave victimhood and blame. That’s self-help 101.
My 16 yo son loved the movie. Congratulations. You bedazzled him like so many of the other billion-dollar-paying-patrons (he saw it at the cinema, unlike me). You seduced him and millions of people to follow you to PLEASURE ISLAND (see Pinocchio). Barbieland even resembles the colorful, flashy, alluring, seductive Pleasure Island. Your Barbie (Robbie) and Gloria (Ferrera) are the J. Worthington Foulfellow (FOX) and Gideon (Cat) to Barbieland's Pleasure Island. The Island seduces those who enjoy it. It turns them into jackasses! (Barbieland turns women into Jillasses!) Just as Barbieland's candy-like veneer and ideological/objectified/glorified women give a pretense to some sort of female heaven...where...incidentally, men are treated like crap. Ken is a clingy, jealous, possessive, "victimy," imbecile who only lives to impress Barbie. Since the "Real World" (our world and the B.S. 1950s version of the current model in the movie) are supposedly OPPOSITES of Barbieland (Men and Women swap roles/positions-in-society), that means that Gerwig must believe that women are clingy, possessive, idiotic victims who only live to impress men. I'd say that's quite the Freudian slip.
BTW, I WANTED to LOVE (or even LIKE) the movie. The previews and all of the marketing are award-winning, and the best I've seen in decades...reminding me of the "old" summer blockbuster, "tent-pole" days where 1 or 2 movies were the events of the year. If Barbie delivered what the trailers/promotion promised, maybe I would have enjoyed it...but then it might also have only been a "cartoon." I am a huge fan of delivering a theme/message (covertly/subconsciously) in a film. If the theme were actual female empowerment with a full arc & finale to a unity of gender respect and power that would have been a story!