For some women in China, “Barbie” is more than just a movie — it’s also a litmus test for their partner’s views on feminism and patriarchy.
The movie has prompted intense social media discussion online, media outlets Sixth Tone and the China Project reported this week, prompting women to discuss their own dating experiences.
One user on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu — a photo-sharing site similar to Instagram that’s mostly used by Gen Z women — even shared a guide on Monday for how women can test their boyfriends based on their reaction to the film.
According to the guide, if a man shows hatred for “Barbie” and slams female directors after they leave the theatre, then this man is “stingy” and a “toxic chauvinist,” according to Insider’s translation of the post. Conversely, if a man understands even half of the movie’s themes, “then he is likely a normal guy with normal values and stable emotions,” the user wrote.
There’s literal direct to frame exposition about expectations for appearance put on women by Barbie. Meanwhile, a fucking ripped and constantly flexing Ryan Gosling spends 90% of the movie shirtless. Yes, it’s completely ham fisted and spends most of its time justifying its existence and letting you know it understands itself when it clearly doesn’t.
Ryan Gosling constantly flexing was the best part of that movie
His outfit in the end was, in fact, cool.
Sounds like a good time
Because maybe… just maybe… it was also critiquing and making satire of the expectations from a ken? and emasculation? the mental effects of always being seen as a himbo? as well as how the company’s marketing idea of strong women was also enforced without consent and thereby removing agency as barbies had to fit into the box the boardroom made as well as the kens? i feel like I hear a whoosh.
I was so ready for that payoff and then it turned out that Ken being defined by Barbie and having no purpose of his own except his looks was a shitty simile for how women are supposedly treated in the real world. Barbie literally exposits about it at least twice in case we missed it. I would be fully on board for a, “Be your own person.”, movie. This was a, "Men are universally, without exception, sexist to women and bad at everything and women shouldn’t put up with them except maybe a few lower court appointments. ', movie.
Except that one nod to Ken needing an education to get a job and saying men are bad at patriarchy, but the literal next line is about how they’re actually great at patriarchy and they’ve just gotten better at hiding it hahaha… ha… ha.
So whoosh back at ya. And what a shitty thing to say.
Did you somehow miss the entire exposition near the end of the movie? The Kens learn to respect themselves, do what they like, and learn to be themselves instead of attaching their identity to macho bullshit and how Barbie views them. It was a pretty big scene. Gosling comes to grips that Barbie doesn’t love him the way he wants and that he shouldn’t value himself based on how she feels about him. He even covers up with a tie dye “I’m Kenough” hoodie, ditching his fake persona.
You got me. I totally missed the part where Kens trick Barbies into quitting their jobs and fetching beers, Barbies rescue Barbies from Kens, Barbies rescue Kens from Kens, then explain to the audience, “This whole time, you felt bad for Ken, but it was the most transparently veiled simile for how women are treated in society, so don’t feel bad for Ken having no purpose or agency in Barbieland. Feel guilty about women in the real world.”
Let’s put this together. What’s wrong with women? Men are unfair to women (Will Farrel) and the patriarchy (America Ferrera) and objectify women (construction workers) and set unfair expectations (by running the company making Barbie) etc and it’s literally all men. What’s wrong with men? Men. Men are the problem because they only care about beer and horses and suppressing women and can’t do anything right, especially running Barbieland. This movie is dumb. I mean, it’s either unimaginably sexist or dumb. I choose to believe it’s stupidity that caused the filmmakers to lack any type of self reflection.
Wow media literacy is truly dead. First of all it’s satire. Everything is elevated to such ridiculous levels to poke fun at society. They’re not saying all men care about is hummers and horses. They fail at running Barbieland because the only thing they care about continues to be impressing Barbie and winning her approval. I think you were just looking for something to be mad about or weren’t paying attention if you think that was where the film landed on men and their role in society. You seem to have a very shallow understanding of the film and you need to give it another watch.
Ryan Gosling’s Ken has one of the best arcs in the entire film. He goes from being obsessed, needy, and subservient to being a competitive, stereotypical bro, confusing machismo with self confidence, and finally along with all the other Ken’s realizes that all he needs is to be himself. No competition, no flexing, no being reliant on others to feel good about himself. He gains awareness of the world and the feelings of others around him. No, by the end of the film he doesn’t find his purpose, but he is now in a place where he can explore himself and find it.
What’s wrong is the disparity between the arcs of Barbie and Ken, a disparity that isn’t unique to this movie, but is especially stark. Barbie goes on a journey of self realization and actualization. Ken goes on a journey of becoming a huge dong so he can get put back in his place and schooled by Barbie. I would rather he have no agency at all and focus on Barbie than this heavy handed, exposition heavy, wet noodle of a delivery.
The movie isn’t being hypocritical, Ken is supposed to reflect the negative stereotypes and expectations put upon men by patriarchy, and the double-sided sword male stereotypes are. Ken both desires the respect and recognition they give, whilst breaking down over the emotional suppresion and hardy appearances they force upon guys.
Ken’s Lines from the penultimate musical number: “I have feelings that i can’t explain, driving me insane” “Am i not hot when I’m in my feelings?” “Is it my destiny to live and die a life of blond fragility?”
Great, so how about we level the movie out with a Barbie with a huge rack, a low cut top, and a rocking ass just hanging out since her attractiveness and sexiness are major themes? Or how about not either one Barbie or Ken and just make them regular attractive people with clothes on please? And if we are going to have Ken be a significant character, give him the ability to not be a passive doofus jerk about every single thing, whose only self driven character progression is toward awfulness. Maybe he can learn anything without Barbie explaining it to him.
The movie is bad. It never heard of, “Show, don’t tell.” It’s also obviously sexist. It’s impossible to miss that there are many Barbies and Kens and all Barbies are great unless they’re somehow tricked into being oppressed and all Kens are fucking morons who, when left to their own devices, fuck everything up. These are pretty major plot points and I didn’t appreciate them.
Just a note, I have zero problems with horny movies, but if you’re trying make a point about people, “having”, to be sexy, be consistent.