Perfect. That's what Barbies symbolised for young girls growing up in different corners of the world. Probably, the only time the concept started changing was when Mattel, the company that sells this highly glamorous merchandise, realised people were not lapping it up any longer.
Greta Gerwig's 'Barbie' demystifies this ultra-glamorous doll concept, with depth and perception that only a woman director can do.
This 'Barbie' is not like the regular animation Barbie stories that are filled with adventures and fantasies, but gets to the root of who and what Barbie has done to the world.
Even when it deals with complicated human emotions, this is not a sombre movie, and that makes the film a winner.
In its own stylish, superbly colourful way, it manages to do what it set out to do.
Margot Robbie, who plays the lead character Barbie, has done a fine job. She is satisfied in her 'Barbie Land', filled with the other Barbies.
Each Barbie has her own doll house and they party almost every single night. But that doesn't mean the world is filled with glam dolls. There are super achievers like a woman president, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, an award-winning journalist, a smart construction worker and a doctor, etc.
Kens, the men in this fantastic world, live in the background, happy to make Barbies feel special.
'Lief's plastic and fantastic' till the heroine become flat flooted (literally her feet touch the ground) after contemplating death.
In Barbie Land, flat feet are not normal (it's vomit-worthy) as it does not match the beauty standards.
Weird Barbie, who lives in a secluded corner of the Land because of her deformity, tells the heroine that she has become flat-footed and even got cellulite on her legs because of a human being from the real world.
This connection between Barbie and the human world, introduced by Greta and her partner Noah Baumbach who co-wrote the script, sets the movie apart.
From here, the movie becomes adventurous, thought-provoking and funny.
Ryan Gosling has also excelled as Ken. The blond retro style suits him well and does not look comical even a bit.
Notions of patriarchy, how it can be addressed, and what needs to be done right to make the world a better place especially for women form part of the discourse in Barbie.
It's fascinating to think that a Barbie movie can go beyond glamour, while retaining several elements and notions of the Barbie many grew up with. The songs, especially 'I'm just Ken', elevate the film experience and so does the cinematography.
