Disco pop music, vibrant pink dream houses, and the simplicity of “Barbie Land” made it what it was. At least that’s what audiences who sat to watch Barbie, released July 21st, thought for approximately the first ten minutes of the film. From there, things got much deeper. 

Essentially, the structure of “Barbie Land”, the main setting of the film’s story, is our society in a mirrored presentation. Rather than being led by men like our society is notorious to be or seem, this world is reversed, entirely run by the Barbies and leaving the Kens entirely out of control. 

By putting the issue in this new light, viewers were given the chance to realize the one gender superiority system simply doesn’t work, no matter which is considered to be  “superior” or “inferior.”  

Although I am mostly fond of the film, I would say the climactic portion was very subtle, which made me feel as though there was still a “big” moment to come before the falling action. When the movie credits rolled and Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice’s song “Barbie World” boomed through the surrounding speakers, I didn’t immediately process and look into what I had just watched. It took me a few hours before truly taking it all in and realizing how much more the movie meant than I initially thought, making the Barbie experience that much better. 

Aside from the two rappers, more notable names joined in on the movie’s original soundtrack.  Many walked out questioning what they were “made for” as in the lyrics of Billie Eilish’s song “What Was I Made For?” emphasizes, while others added Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night Away” to their workout playlists, further proving the versatility of the film. Lizzo, Sam Smith, Charlie XCX and more were also featured on the soundtrack.

Margot Robbie starred as the titular character and executed the role perfectly. Not only was she Barbie herself, but she also played a significant part in the movie’s development from day one, as one of its producers. Prior to Barbie’s release, many fans shared their doubts about Ryan Gosling taking on the role of Ken; despite this, he became a fan favorite in no time, even with original song “I’m Just Ken” quickly taking over the pop culture scene and becoming a sensation. Like the movie, the song had a fun, lighthearted tone, but held greater meaning when you read between the lines. America Ferrera, Michael Cera, Simu Liu, Will Farrell and Ariana Greenblatt also had prominent roles in Barbie, each being a vital piece in the puzzle of the film. Greta Gerwig, the director, has also received praise as she intricately and successfully wove all of the components of Barbie together. I was particularly fond of her unique stylistic choices, including the brief snaps into reality when a mention of Margot Robbie’s looks were made mid-scene or when the “Mattel” logo popped on screen as a language censor. 

You couldn’t simply buy your tickets online and walk into the theater to watch this movie. Aside from having to buy the tickets days ahead to ensure seats, going on a search for pink outfits was in the viewers’ best interest… or you would’ve been left out by everyone in the theater. A small trend grew into a phenomenon until everyone was in rosy hues head to toe. I feel as though this created a memory like no other for everyone to look back on, turning it from more than just a movie to a nationwide event that brought every audience member together.

Barbie has a run time of just under two hours, yet it goes by in a minute, with not a second left unfunny, meaningless, or dull. A strong soundtrack, cast of familiar faces, and iconic fashion contributed to Barbie’s continuing success—which currently stands at $1.34 billion—but the deep rooted meanings and societal ironies are truly what gave the movie its positive reputation.