June 14, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Film Review: Barbie

FILM REVIEW
BARBIE
Rated PG-13
114 Minutes
Released June 21st

Please forgive me if I have a different take on the Barbie movie than most. The toys you play with as a child inspire your imagination and help develop your skills in make-believe, which is so very important to our mental health and stability. In 1959, Ruth Handler created the doll for Mattel, and it became an instant hit. I had one of the earliest Barbie dolls, in this movie referred to as “Stereotypical Barbie,” and brought to life brilliantly by Margot Robbie – whose physicality in becoming the doll is amazing. As a child, I didn’t want to play with my Barbie – I wanted horses and cowboys and Indians, who were all good guys to me because they rode HORSES! I guess I identify with Ken in this movie, who has a horse fixation. I did have an extraordinary Doll House that I loved playing with, that had been built by hand for my mom when she was a little girl, with incredible handmade furniture and accessories, so I could see why kids liked playing with Barbie’s Dreamhouse. In this movie, since there is a Barbie for everyone, I think I identify with “Weird Barbie,” played hilariously by Kate McKinnon.

This box office smash of 2023 has been a long time in the making. In 2009 the idea was floated to make a Barbie film, and several directors tried to get the project moving. Finally, a script was written by director Greta Gurwig and her partner Noah Baumbach that seemed timely and exciting, and the real CEO of Mattel, Ynon Kretz, gave them creative freedom to go ahead. The movie has now become a worldwide sensation. A report from Turkey describes people entering theatres for screenings dressed in outrageous pink Barbie costumes, just as they are in this country. The movie has become a cultural icon just as the doll did in 1959, and both movie critics and audiences are giving it a 90% positive score on the film rating site Rotten Tomatoes.

The movie is an homage to mid-Century culture that encompasses the existential anxieties of today’s world. There is a scene about Handler and a send-up of Mattel executives led by Will Ferrell. Interesting factoid: there is an old woman seen briefly who utters one of the most important lines in the movie. She is played by 82-year-old Oscar-winning costume designer Ann Roth. Also, note that Helen Mirren beautifully narrates key parts of the story.

There’s a lot going on in this movie and a lot of life lessons. In addition to a huge inclusive cast of Barbie and Ken dolls and the almost psychedelic creation of Barbie Land, Gerwig has set scenes in the style of at least a dozen classic films from the 20th century, including Saturday Night Fever, Midnight Cowboy, Clueless, The Red Shoes, Singin’ in the Rain and many more. “Gloria,” Barbie’s human owner, played by America Ferrera, sums up the quandary for women in our culture thus: “I’m just so tired of watching myself and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us.” Naturally, in these times, there are those who have politicized the movie. Most famously, Elon Musk thinks it’s a rant against patriarchal cultures.

Barbie is not a political treatise. It’s a movie about women having the courage to stand up for themselves and the wisdom to accept imperfection. It’s about men having the strength to show their vulnerability and know when to ask for help. It’s about all humans having respect for one another. Barbie and Ken both show they have a vulnerable side even before they visit the real world, played in part by Santa Monica and Venice in this movie. This is not about feminism. It’s about building confidence as a person, about developing trust in your own instincts and talents.

Kathryn Whitney Boole has spent most of her life in the entertainment industry, which has been the backdrop for remarkable adventures with extraordinary people.  She is a Talent Manager with Studio Talent Group in Santa Monica. kboole@gmail.com

in News
Related Posts

Senator Alex Padilla Forcibly Removed, Handcuffed at DHS Press Briefing in Los Angeles

June 13, 2025

June 13, 2025

Security or Censorship? Padilla Removed After Questioning Secretary Kristi Noem U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., was forcibly removed Thursday during...

Get Involved in Culver City’s Ballona Creek Beautification This Weekend

June 13, 2025

June 13, 2025

Volunteers Invited to for a Hands-on Environmental Restoration Local organizations are calling on community members to lend a hand in...

Federal Court Halts Order Requiring Trump to Return Control of California Guard to Governor Newsom

June 13, 2025

June 13, 2025

Court Showdown Looms Over Trump’s Federalization of State Troops Late Thursday, a federal appeals court paused enforcement of a lower...

‘No Kings: National Day of Defiance’ Protest in LA to Run Counter to Donald Trump’s Birthday Military Parade

June 13, 2025

June 13, 2025

Giant Trump Balloons, Pride Flags, and Community Speakers Will Fill the Streets on Flag Day Thousands of demonstrators are expected...

(Video) Senator Alex Padilla Being Forcibly Removed at Secretary Kristi Noem’s DHS Press Conference for Attempting to Ask Questions

June 12, 2025

June 12, 2025

In a disturbing and unprecedented move, FBI agents grabbed the sitting California Senator, dragged him out of the room, and...

Chagee Now Open in Century City, Emily Ratajkowski Attends Opening Ceremony

June 12, 2025

June 12, 2025

Global Tea Powerhouse Opens Its First U.S. Location at Westfield Century City Model and actress Emily Ratajkowski joined Chagee for a ribbon-cutting...

Chefs Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken Serve Up Pride Month Specials That Give Back

June 12, 2025

June 12, 2025

Limited-Time Food, Cocktail Offerings at Socalo and Alice B. Support LGBTQ+ Centers In honor of Pride Month, acclaimed chefs Susan...

(Video) Crustacean’s Little C Pop-Up in Beverly Hills

June 12, 2025

June 12, 2025

Amazing Phở, especially the chicken. Vietnamese street food with the Crustacean flair. Amazing Phở, especially the chicken. Vietnamese street food...

World-Class Chefs and Local Farms Bring Culinary Magic to Santa Monica This June

June 12, 2025

June 12, 2025

3 Nights, 3 Unforgettable Dinners: Santa Monica’s Michelin + Farm Feast Series A trio of exclusive culinary events is set...

Immigrant Opened Her Doors to Injured Deputies and Demonstrators Offering Water, Aid, and Compassion

June 12, 2025

June 12, 2025

Salvadoran Restaurant Becomes Unexpected Refuge During L.A. Immigration Protest As immigration protests swept through parts of Los Angeles County over...

Mastro’s Malibu Reopens With Ocean Views, Signature Steaks, and Nearly Entire Staff Intact

June 11, 2025

June 11, 2025

Iconic Oceanfront Steakhouse Returns With Its Beloved Butter Cake, Nightly Live Music, and Sunset Glamour After a five-month closure due...

Local Representatives Jaqui Irwin, Brian Allen, and Horvath to Host Wildfire Preparedness Webinar

June 11, 2025

June 11, 2025

Virtual Wildfire Forum to Cover Readiness, Insurance, Public Safety Q&A Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, State Senator Ben Allen, and Los Angeles...

Authorities Searching for Missing 12-Year-Old Girl Last Seen on Century Boulevard

June 11, 2025

June 11, 2025

Sheriff’s Department Seeks Tips in Disappearance of At-Risk Juvenile The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s...

Judge Denies Newsom’s Bid to Halt Military Expansion in L.A. Amid Immigration Raids

June 11, 2025

June 11, 2025

California’s Emergency TRO Blocked as Marines Await Domestic Use-of-Force Training  Efforts by California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob...

The VA Enlists Federal HR Agency to Oversee Massive Layoff Planning

June 11, 2025

June 11, 2025

Agreement With OPM Follows Proposed Cuts to More Than 80,000 Jobs The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has been...