A stream of young people flooded Sala Truffaut yesterday to watch the movie of the moment Barbie. The movie by the talented Gerwig is set to be a clamorous success in the USA as well as Italy. It’s a one-of-a-kind movie. It’s not only the hot pink movie, with frivolous characters. Barbie could become a blockbuster, full of quotes and “capitalist and gender-based matter”. Barbie is above all Margot Robbie’s movie and Margot Robbie is Barbie.
“It’s a manifesto.” – Carmine says – “I wasn’t expecting such important messages in such a movie. It’s a blow to the patriarchy. With pizzazz, as it should be.”
Rounds of applause for Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling’s performance – perhaps his best. The actress is excellent: from her blonde hair to her incredible skin, as well as her statuesque body. All the work put in the entirety of the movie is to let us stop looking at an actress as an object. And this is the evidence of her talent. Barbie is not only a story about a doll; it represents the many nuances of the woman’s body, and Margot Robbie knows how to adapt hers to the cliché Barbie. Her pink fairy-tale world collapse, as does the idea of being absolute perfection.
Luna, from the 18+ category, comments: “The film presents itself as a critique of the role of women and capitalism in our modern society. It’s a movie born out of capitalism, with a cast full of famous actors. It cannot be seen without its political meaning, and it shows the American way of thinking, about show business and politically correct.”
Barbie is the most important cinematic marketing operation in the last few years. “‘Too much’ comes into mind when watching this film. But before focusing on its message, it’s important to see how it is conveyed. Pink notwithstanding, the movie is in black and white. This movie could make a difference to many people in order to reflect on gender inequalities and patriarchy still existing today. It shows how our world could be” – says Alessia.
Barbie is full of quotes too (2001: A Space Odyssey; The Truman Show, Forrest Gump, Grease, Saving Private Ryan) and it finds its strength in simple but-over-the-top screenwriting and disenchanted humour. It could be misinterpreted as a mere product and the simplification of an existential, social, and biological condition. The movie is not the doll.
Michela Murgia does not think that there is no fight between different kinds of feminism: everything that’s fair for women and feminism, it’s always fair. By this assumption, Fabiana says: “The movie brings together irony, silliness, satire, and powerful messages. When something is going against patriarchy, it always does it radically. Many expected a frivolous movie, so they saw it in bewilderment. I love Greta Gerwig’s screenwriting, and I think it’s amazing how a man – Noah Baumbach – managed to write something so “feminine”.”
