Mojo Dojo Casa House, the Patriarchy Isn’t About Horses, and Barbie (2023) Review!
Hello, and welcome to movies on the side. This is Steven Robles.
Nate:And this is Nate Baranowski.
Stephen:And today, we are reviewing the 2023 movie Barbie starring Margot Robbie, Brian Gosling, Will Ferrell. I didn't even know he was in this movie till I started watching. Host of other characters made I texted you after watching this movie. I did not do the movie theater thing. I did not do Barbieheimer, Oppen Barbie.
Nate:Have you seen Oppenheimer yet?
Stephen:No. I wanna see it. It's 3 Nate, Oppenheimer is 3 hours.
Nate:I know.
Stephen:I'm gonna have to bid Angel it because it's rated r. I don't know. I have not seen it yet. I have not invested the time. I wanna see it.
Stephen:You have not either, I assume.
Nate:No. I haven't.
Stephen:Are we allowed to say can we say what's different about this episode than last? Yes. Is that okay? Yes.
Nate:Okay. I
Stephen:just want I had
Nate:a second of going, what is different? What is different? We're in the same
Stephen:So It's different. Our faithful listeners might have noticed we missed our every other week schedule, but that is because Nate has a second child. He has 2 children now.
Nate:I have a baby girl now.
Stephen:Baby girl. And so congratulations. I just wanna say on air.
Nate:So it makes movies like Barbie
Stephen:Oh, okay.
Nate:Hit hit me even harder.
Stephen:You have a daughter now. That's crazy.
Nate:Now. By the way, we started recording this podcast before I had any kids, and now I have 2. Wow. So
Stephen:That is wild.
Nate:Motz is my first child, I guess, if you think about it.
Stephen:Actually, now that I think about it no. Wait a minute. We've been doing this podcast for it's gonna be 6 years
Nate:6 years.
Stephen:Coming up this year. So my daughter was born
Nate:That's correct.
Stephen:Before we started, that time doesn't even make sense to me. I don't even understand. Anyway
Nate:Movies on the Side is your 4th child.
Stephen:Movies and we're going till 2049. So we have a solid, however many years that is, 20
Nate:So, anyway, sorry for missing
Stephen:it last week. Terrible. I see it. And But Nate has a child. And so but, anyway, we reviewed Barbie.
Stephen:So I would I had wanted to see this. I rented it last night, and then I texted you Mhmm. Right after I finished the movie. I love this movie. I find I find this to be a very good movie.
Movie Clip:Hi, Harvey. Hi, Skipper. Hi, Harvey.
Stephen:I wanna say Greta Gerwig. Mhmm. Greta Gerwig is the writer of this movie, the director, and an executive producer on this movie. I listened to her interview on the Smartless podcast, which I will link Yes. In the episode's script.
Stephen:Did you listen to that episode too?
Nate:No. No. Did you listen to it?
Stephen:I listened to it before watching this movie. So, like, I kinda had, like, that tangentially off to the side. Uh-huh. But I was ready. And and this is one of these movies, which we've talked about Zeitgeist before.
Stephen:Like, I feel like there is not a more Zeitgeist y Buzzy. Movie. Buzzy movie. Marvel the MCU is in a nosedive just right into the Ground. The
Nate:where when the MCU crumbles, Greta Gerwig rises
Stephen:Like a phoenix from the ashes. Well, there's no ashes. I mean, she has a great career. But this movie in particular, it was like the buzz. I saw pictures of, like, families and their daughters dressing up, like, in different Barbies, like, going to this movie when it was in theaters.
Nate:It was like a movie theater thing.
Stephen:Huge thing. And I also heard, like, you know, we're connected to different, segments of, the population. And there was a segment that was, like, really didn't like this movie.
Nate:Grumbly grumbly grumbly.
Stephen:I'm grumble, grumble, grumble. I'm grumbling about this movie. And so I was like, like, I don't know what's gonna be in it. But listen, I just have to say right off the bat. When it comes to like, I've seen recent movies.
Nate:Right.
Stephen:That's a that's but, like, I've seen movies recently.
Nate:Good. What? Okay. That's our And TV shows.
Stephen:We got
Nate:our pony feed days out. And I've I've seen movies.
Stephen:I've seen movies. The writing Greta Gerwig's writing for this movie reminded me what good writing is about, because so many movies recently has not had good rising. I know we had All Strike and all that, but, like, Greta Gerwig's writing the lines of this movie, the way she weaves humor and actually talks about, like, big topics it makes you laugh. It's just amazing.
Nate:Yes.
Stephen:It was awesome.
Movie Clip:I don't know the word for it, but I'm conscious, but it's
Movie Clip:Myself that I'm conscious of?
Stephen:So, anyway, that was, like, kinda just my high level view. Nate, did you I know you saw this recently. What what was your thoughts?
Nate:I did. So Jill went and saw this movie in theaters with a Uh-huh. A bunch of co residents from the hospital. They all went together Yeah. And watched it like ladies' night.
Nate:She loved it. She said, I'm excited for you to see it. I think you are going to love it too. I have been waiting because for whatever reason, maybe because it's buzzy.
Stephen:Yeah. Yeah.
Nate:Yeah. The time before it was able to be rented felt really, really long.
Stephen:Yeah. It was like, buy this every other dollar. Like.
Nate:Yeah. It's like, do you wanna buy it for 30? And I Yeah. I was contemplating. Maybe we're gonna buy this movie.
Nate:Right. But I waited for it to come out in rental. I too loved it, and I think that it is refreshingly original
Speaker 7:Yes.
Nate:Which is what a lot of movies can't currently say. It feels like it took an an IP of Yes. Mattel's Barbie and actually had an original goofy story to tell yes. Instead of just being, like, so, like, tied to maybe handcuffed by a fandom, perhaps
Stephen:Right.
Nate:I am actually I wanna talk about this. I'm actually surprised that in a lot of ways, Mattel was like
Speaker 7:Yeah.
Stephen:Thumbs up on this. Right.
Nate:Cool, Greta.
Stephen:And and then what you just said, though, like, so many proper like, intellectual properties for nostalgia boost, like, tries to be redone. Sometimes just full on may movies are are redone in today's context and, like, it's not good. It's just not good. It's not like a transformative use of the intellectual property.
Nate:Transformative.
Stephen:Sure. Autobots roll out something. But this but this was just, like, amazing. And also so I I was watching this with Whitney last night. Another huge props, pun intended, to, like, the props and sets of this movie.
Stephen:No kidding. I mean, like, as we were watching, Whitney was like, oh, I had that, like, toy. She also said, like, Hollywood hair Barbie was, like, early on in the movie when he was, like, I had that one. Like, the amount of nostalgia injected was so that these, you know, people who had Barbies when they were younger could be, like, I had that. Like, that was mine.
Nate:Right.
Stephen:And also, like, the actual history that they plug into this movie, for instance, the pregnant Barbie, which, like, the movie teases, like, oh, yeah. Mattel discontinued that. And I immediately, like, have to search, was this a real thing?
Nate:For sure.
Stephen:For sure, it was 1963. There was a Barbie called Midge, and she was pregnant. And Mattel discontinued it Wow.
Nate:Because it
Stephen:was too weird. And I was like, this is amazing. Like, it's using the intellectual property in a fun and inventive way throwing in these, like, Easter eggs that if you look it up, you'll find, oh, shoot. Like, that was real. Right.
Speaker 8:And then Mitch was Barbie's pregnant friend. Hey, Mitch. Well, let's not show Mitch, actually. She was discontinued by Patel because of pregnant doll. It's just too weird.
Speaker 8:Anyway.
Stephen:Also the creator of Barbie who passed away in 2002, Ruth Handler. That was the real that was not the woman in the movie, but
Nate:evasion was real?
Stephen:Tax everything was so it was so good. Like, I I, like, I was laughing the whole time, and I loved everything, like, about it. So I
Speaker 7:I don't know. Where where
Stephen:do we wanna go from
Nate:here? Here's what I wanna the the set, the very large set
Stephen:so good.
Nate:Although it's meant to be faky faky, the amount of real props and real that they built for this, like a real slide she goes down Yeah. It actually makes it feel more grounded
Stephen:Right.
Nate:Than a really CG heavy thing. I felt like this Barbie world felt more real to me than the quantum realm.
Stephen:Well, because It was real. Because it was actual it was actual things. Actual props With
Nate:actual, like, Cool, clothing, like, mimicking the original, like, clothing setup. Yes. I think what I wanna start with, the actors in this movie.
Stephen:Oh, goodness.
Nate:Because I I have both a positive and a little negative here. Oh. I think Margot Robbie is perfect in this role. Every once in a while, I maybe heard a little bit of an Australian
Stephen:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Nate:Slip coming
Stephen:up. You have a Brit slip. So what is it? Is it an Aussie slip?
Nate:Yeah. Maybe. Maybe. Every once in a while, there's something about the, like, heard down the nose, middle America American accent here. Yeah.
Nate:Yeah. And every once in a while, like But, like Yeah. Overall, like, her demeanor and setup, she is truly, like, a heroine to follow in there. Like, I I thought, like Yes. Great casting.
Speaker 6:I've gotta talk to somebody in charge. Everything is backwards here. Men look at me like I'm an object. Girls hate me. Everyone thinks they're crazy, and I keep getting arrested.
Speaker 7:You need to step this way, ma'am?
Speaker 6:I also just learned to cry. 1st, I got 1 tear, and then I got a whole bunch.
Nate:But here's something. I'm not sure if I loved Ryan Gosling.
Stephen:Woah. Now oh.
Nate:Oh. Now. And here's why. Here's why. Oh.
Nate:I I liked him just fine Until Jill said this to me. I think this part would have been better with Ryan Reynolds. And that really hurt me because I thought he was great, But now that I want Ryan Reynolds in it, now I feel like, oh, oh, yeah. I do want that.
Speaker 6:No. I won't let you do Just one appendectomy.
N:But I'm a man.
Speaker 6:But not a doctor.
N:Please? No. Can I talk to a doctor?
Speaker 6:You are talking to a doctor.
N:Can you get me a coffee? No. And I need a clicky pen No. And a white coat. And a sharp thing.
Stephen:No. Here here okay. I hear you. I love Ryan Reynolds. I mean, no question there.
Stephen:Absolutely. But Ryan Reynolds he's Ryan Reynolds in every role. Like Deadpool, he is basically the same character as in Free Guy and the same one in that, whatever Adam Project Netflix original and whatever. Like, he's great. I wanna see him in every in a lot of things.
Nate:Okay. But he
Stephen:is running around. And I feel like
Nate:You're convincing me.
Stephen:He was Ken, it would have been, like, Ryan Reynolds. And I almost feel like you might have rooted for him a little more
Nate:Too much.
Stephen:Maybe subconsciously Mhmm. Because you need you need to, like, not like certain aspects of kin in order for the payoff to make sense at the end and I feel like Ryan Reynolds, it would have been like not that Ryan Gosling didn't do well, like but Ryan Reynolds would have been too maybe too funny, too good as Ryan Reynolds, as Ken, then
Nate:Okay.
Stephen:And also Ryan Gosling. I mean, I think he looks the part. He's he's a very good looking person, I just have to say. Mean, they take advantage they take full advantage of that too.
Nate:Okay. Okay. Anyway. No. Like alright.
Nate:In that case Yeah.
Stephen:I think I think I think it was I think Ron I really like Ryan Gosling. I also feel like can talk about the specifics. But, like, once he discovers, quote, unquote, the the patriarchy Once
Nate:I I'm doing patriarchy.
Stephen:I have to like, again, some of these lines like, for for those who have not seen the movie, right, Ken and Barbie have lived in the Barbie land like this imagine not imaginary world. It's supposedly a real world in this movie. Mhmm. They lived in Barbie land, and then Ken and Barbie moved to the real world, and their eyes are opened to, like, real human world stuff.
Nate:Right.
Stephen:And Ken sees being in the real world, they're like, oh, men rule everything, and men are the best. And, like, patriarchy immediately associated with good things, like, falls in like horses. He loves horses, and I love that whole bit.
Nate:Him is him saying at first, I thought I mean, when I found out it wasn't just about riding horses, it kinda lost.
Stephen:This is when I found out the patriarchy wasn't about I love that line. I love that line.
N:To be honest, when I found out the patriarchy wasn't about horses, I lost interest anyway.
Stephen:That's okay. Someone in the real world early on asks him the time. And, like, this is such a, like, funny line, but I felt it was kinda deep. When they go back to Barbie land and Ken, like, takes over and makes it Ken land, he tells Barbie, someone asked me for the time, and basically, like, I felt respected. Uh-huh.
Stephen:Like, I felt, like, looked up to. And, like, that's so deep, like, that idea. And then also he reveals that he now wears 3 watches because someone asked to put the time.
N:When I walked down the street, people respected me just for who I am. One lady, she even asked me for the time. No way. Way.
Stephen:That's so good. And so I feel like in all those moments, like, Ryan Gosling totally killed it. Yeah, I feel like yeah. He was good.
Nate:I would tell you my those aren't even my top 2 favorite castings. Obviously, I'm Okay. Ryan Gosling wasn't my favorite because I kept thinking about Ryan Reynolds. But Kate McKinnon as weird Barbie
Stephen:So good.
Nate:Steals every single scene that she is in.
Stephen:Yes. The story
Nate:is amazing. She's amazing.
Movie Clip:What is that? A cellulite.
Speaker 6:That's gonna spread everywhere, and then you're gonna start getting sad
Movie Clip:and mushy and complicated. No.
Nate:And then, I think America Ferrera, as the mom, was also perfect in her role I was, like, having enough kind of beaten down, but at the same time, like this, like Yeah. She's supposed to be, like, the nostalgia lens For, like, I grew up with Barbie. Yes. And now, like, I'm conflicted.
Stephen:I totally agree. There's a moment where she does this monologue the first time
Nate:I have it up.
Stephen:2 barbeats.
Nate:Are we gonna play some of it?
Stephen:I'm gonna have to pull clips because this movie is too like, you have to hear these things. But when she's giving that monologue for the first time, a, amazing. Performance wise, the writing was amazing. But also in that moment, it felt to me and not in a bad way. Like, it felt in a good way like a theater performance.
Stephen:Like, it felt like she was on stage delivering this monologue to a live audience.
Nate:Clear out everybody.
Stephen:Well yeah. And I was like, she literally commanded the room in that moment, and I'm not even in that room. Like, that's on a screen.
Nate:Right.
Stephen:And she still commanded the room. And then, like, looking at the movie as a whole, there is music, you could say there are, like, musical elements. Like, Margot Robbie doesn't really sing a ballad or a solo. Ken has a song, but it's kind of like a more dance song number. But I also loved the music, just on a side note, like, I really enjoyed the music throughout.
Stephen:But that moment, it made me feel even more, like, pulled into a theater feel. Mhmm. And I really liked it. I liked it. Like, it somehow managed to create that I'm watching her perform on a stage, and she's, like, delivering this engaging monologue.
Stephen:And I can't take my my eyes or ears off the mom doing this thing. Like Right.
Nate:Also When America Ferrera was approached by Greta to be in this movie, one of her pitches was I have this monologue. This is supposed to be, like, part of the heart of the movie, and I picture you being the one to say this. This is like this has to land. And America Ferreira said, like, it was very, like, almost stressful of, like, hey. I gotta like, this is so powerful.
Nate:This needs to really, like, hit. She said she recorded it 30 to 50 times straight through. Like, that would how many takes they took to, like, we need to get this right. And if we if you have a clip right now Mhmm. You can play part of it.
Nate:Yes. It's pretty cool. It actually, when Jill came home after watching the movie in theaters, she said, there's a monologue in here that is amazing, and I'm gonna have to find it on YouTube of somebody, like, recording this in the theaters. This is, like, still while it's in theaters. And sure enough, I found some shaky footage of it or whatever.
Stephen:That's amazing.
Nate:Yeah. Here's a little bit of it.
Movie Clip:You have to be a career woman, but also always be looking out for other people. You have to answer for men's bad behavior, which is insane. But if you point that out, you're accused of complaining. You're supposed to stay pretty for men, but not So pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women because you're supposed to be a part of the sisterhood, but always stand out and always be grateful.
Stephen:Is so good. I also love when the Barbies are now, like, trying to retake Barbie land, and they're distracting the men. And, like, they play into, I'm, like, the men's worst tendencies. Right. And I love this this one moment where the one of the guys watching The Godfather, Hanna Barber comes over and he's like, can you start the movie over and just talk through the whole thing and explain it to me?
Stephen:Like, that is Yep. So cold Yep. And so right. Another one was like, can you play guitar at me for, like, 4 hours?
Speaker 7:The Godfather.
Speaker 6:I've never seen it.
Speaker 7:Oh my god. You've never seen The Godfather? This movie is a rich blend of copalis aesthetic genius in a triumph of Robert Evans in the architecture of the seventies studio system.
Movie Clip:Can you
Speaker 6:start the movie over and just talk through the whole thing?
Movie Clip:You have
Stephen:Again, it's funny. I think in a in an approachable way It's
Nate:what That's how it is supposed to do.
Stephen:I feel like it is important to say. I just wanted to say it here before I forget. Like, if you watch this movie and you feel like it was just down on men the whole time, I do feel like it it weaves in, like, this is where both typical men and women might struggle. Like and there's a line when, I believe, it's America Ferrera says, like, we just try to make people like us all the time. And, like, that is a trait that maybe we should rethink and try to do that differently.
Stephen:It might feel more like they're onto the Kens and, like, maybe it's because they're more comedic effect or whatever. In in in the monologue describing things of like, hey, this is where, like, society has kind of pushed us, and we start doing that's not healthy for either of us. So, hey, let's, like, try to rethink how we approach life in these different ways that can be more help could not have to fit in this box or whatever. And and I feel like if you can watch it from a I don't know. Like, if you can approach this movie from a I'm not going to be offended place, like, just watch the movie, listen to all the lines.
Stephen:I think it it does a good job of, like, both sides.
Nate:I think that's something for those who would feel Offended at some point in time during this, we have not reiterated this enough. The goofiest of satires. Like, this has Will Ferrell running around
N:like
Nate:we're in full slapstick mode. This is like this is Like Zoolander, Napoleon Dynamite kind of level Yeah. Yeah. At all times. Right.
Nate:That I would say that you should probably look look kind of beneath that offense of going like, well, what is it about this
Stephen:Right.
Nate:That is is kinda poking at you or whatever.
Stephen:Right.
Nate:Because I I do wanna get to that, like, kind of the themes of it
Stephen:Greg. A little
Nate:bit later in the episode. But I wanna say this because Greta says this in an I believe it's an interview with The Atlantic. She says when America was giving her beautiful speech, now this is on set, I was just sobbing, and then I looked around, and I realized everybody's crying on the set. The men are crying too because they have their own speech they feel they can't ever give, you know, and they have their own twin tight rope, which is also painful.
Stephen:Mhmm.
Nate:And I think that's something that, like, looking beneath it, like, this is specifically, you know, 4 women about, like, basically how patriarchy has in a lot of ways hurt women. She acknowledges on the other side, it's not this movie, but there's another movie. And even in this movie, sometimes Yeah. The insecurities of men were the things that brought about their terrible treatment and saying like, hey. This is not because men have their own issues.
Nate:And out of those issues come the, You know? Yeah. The Ryan Gosling, you know, being a jerk.
Stephen:And maybe this is moral of the story corner that you have to figure out who you are outside of being dependent on other people in order to be secure enough and safe enough, I I found this, like, towards the end of the movie, like, they're try they're starting to resolve things, and Ken is like, I'm nothing without you. Like, the only thing I live for is for you to look at me.
Nate:Barbie and Ken.
Stephen:Barbie and Ken. And Barbie Margot Robbie says, like, it's Barbie and it's Ken. Right. And it's just this simple thing, and and even one of the other Kens down on the street says we were only fighting because we didn't know who we were.
N:Ken, it's me. Ken, it's me. Ken, it's me.
Speaker 7:We were only fighting because we didn't know who we were.
Stephen:And it's just such a poignant moment like
Nate:Right.
Stephen:A realization for everyone, and Barbie too. Like, she thought she was stereotypical Barbie, and if she was not that, she didn't know what to do. She didn't know who she was. And just like Ken, without Barbie's attention, he didn't know what he was or what he was supposed to do. And it's, I think, just so poignant for both sides.
Stephen:Again, just pointing it out so delicately, honestly. Like, I do think it like, she does it delicately because it's so wrapped in humor
Nate:Right.
Stephen:And, like, approachableness that it helps you understand it. Even, like, what Ken is then wearing after that, he has a jacket that says, k nuff, like like, k. Enough. Enough.
Nate:Yes.
Stephen:And it's like, yeah. That's that's the deal. And I and I do love just one other, like, both sides moment. Early in the movie, Ken asked
N:I thought I might stay over tonight.
Speaker 6:Why?
N:Because we're girlfriend, boyfriend.
Speaker 6:To do what?
N:I'm actually not sure.
Speaker 6:Oh, but I don't want you here. Mhmm. And this is my dream house. It's Barbie's dream house. It's not Ken's greenhouse.
Speaker 6:Right?
N:Right as always.
Speaker 6:And it's girls' night every night forever.
N:Every night.
Speaker 6:Forever and ever.
Stephen:And you see that Ken's downtrodden and walks away. And then when Kens take over Barbie land, Ken says the same thing back to Barbie like
N:This is my Mojo Dojo Casa House. It's not Barbie's Mojo Dojo Casa House. How's that feel? It is not fun, is it?
Nate:Mojo Dojo Kasa House.
Stephen:Mojo Dojo Kasa House. Hilarious. And I think the movie, it's an undertone. It doesn't tell you explicitly. You have to pay attention.
Stephen:It's basically saying, like, both of those things were not great. Right. Both Barbie's approach and Ken's approach, like, those were both not ideal. And in the end, Barbie says, like, maybe it doesn't have to be girls' night every night.
Nate:Right.
Stephen:She says the line. Like, she gives you another clue of, like, hey. Look. This is the moral underneath. We're not gonna hit you over the head with it, but if you pay close enough attention, like, you can get it.
Stephen:Right. I thought that was genius. I thought it was great.
Nate:Yeah. I thought the, For moral of the story, I thought the way that she wraps satire and the way she wraps these themes in Candy coating that you, like, bite into going like, wow. That's very funny. And then afterwards, it kind of hits you a little bit more. Some of the things that stood out to me was Just like how what they noticed when they went to the real world.
Nate:And I thought, like, some several lines of her saying, like, don't these looks have, like, an undertone of violence to them? Right. Kent's like, I don't experience that at all. She's like, I definitely do.
Stephen:Right.
N:And there's no undertone of violence.
Speaker 6:Mine very much has an undertone of violence. Oh, look. A construction site.
Nate:That's meant to be, like, a laugh, but really, like then you start thinking about it, especially from our perspective of going, like depending on especially on what I'm wearing or how I look, I never feel unsafe Right. Because, you know, I'm I'm a guy. And then there was another line where, Will Ferrell at the end was like, yep, we have learned our lesson entirely, and I will, like, remain fully, definitely still be the CEO after this. And it's this idea of, like, yes, we are going to say that, like, we've learned a lot, but I am not giving up power in this organization. Right.
Speaker 9:But thanks to the Barbies, I too can now relieve myself of this heavy existential burden while holding on to the very real title of CEO.
Nate:Very, very good. And the the whole, like, this kind of pretending to be an empowering company and yet, like, it's just a room full of men All inside of this place is just like
Stephen:Right.
Nate:Like that kind of thing by itself. Yeah. And they don't resolve it.
Stephen:Right.
Nate:Like, at the end, she doesn't become the CEO of Mattel or whatever. Right. And that's the beautiful thing about this movie is that it doesn't Wrap it up nicely in a, like, everything's fixed
Speaker 7:sort
Nate:of thing. They even said this, which I thought was brilliant. So we're supposed to look at Barbie Land As the mirror of our world. Right. So, like, women are basically in control.
Stephen:Right.
Nate:And here's the thing. Even at the women in Barbie land are literally the best. They're just like they're kind. They're great. Right.
Nate:The only thing they experience is like, Yeah. Of course, women run this, and the men are just here as, like, side. Like, they don't Right. View them negatively. They just don't view them as very important at all.
Nate:Right. And even at that most, like, benevolent, we're supposed to be like, wait. That doesn't seem sort of fair. And then you reverse it to the real world
Stephen:Right.
Nate:And go like they say this line at the very end. 1 guy asks, like, well, can I be on in the government somehow? And she was like, yeah, maybe Lower court.
N:Maybe you can
Stephen:Lower court judicial rank.
Nate:Lower court
Stephen:sort of thing. And then
Nate:there is a narrator who I believe is Helen Mirren
Stephen:so good.
Nate:Who comes in and says, like,
Speaker 6:But maybe a lower circuit court judgeship. We accept as long as
Nate:we can wear robes.
Speaker 8:Well, the Kens have to start somewhere. And one day, the Kens will have as much Power and influence in Barbie land as women have in the real world.
Nate:And you immediately go like, Oh, okay. So a man's never gonna be president in Barbie land sort of thing or, like, hasn't been to this point because it makes you think like, oh, yeah. It's not fair in the real world. And but by having it flipped, it's meant to make you think about that in a way of going, oh, if roles were reversed, it wouldn't seem fair. I thought that was brilliant.
Stephen:It is brilliant. I feel like if there is anyone even open to their mind being open to, like, what this movie is addressing, this movie will do it. This is probably the strongest medicine that you can wrap in as much candy as possible. And if anyone is open to it, like, hopefully, they could see it. And I know there's also, like, a portion of people who would still just walk away from this movie mad I'm just, like, not appreciated for what it is.
Stephen:And I think that
Nate:Which if you walk away from Barbie mad, you were you walked into Barbie mad.
Stephen:When, yeah. True. I also love, like, in that in that final scene when, America Ferrera is like, why can't we just have, like, stay at home barbie that just wears sweatpants and it just like fine being themselves. And Will Ferrell was like, no. We're not doing that.
Stephen:And then one of the guys behind him is like, actually, that'll make us a ton of money. Will Ferrell was like, we're doing it.
Nate:Yes.
Movie Clip:She just has a flattering top, and she wants to get through the day feeling kinda good about her
Speaker 9:Self. That's a terrible idea.
Stephen:Yep. That's going to make money.
Speaker 9:Oh, ordinary barley. I love it.
Movie Clip:Fantastic. Oh, great.
Stephen:Right. Like, again, motivate what is the motivation? Like, I don't know. I I it just it raises so many good questions.
Nate:I asked Jill about, like, what her experience like, what her thoughts were.
Stephen:Mhmm.
Nate:And she said she really liked how It leaned into the dissonance of Barbie. And that is, in a lot of ways, Barbie, just like the daughter said, was Kind of destructive for a lot of women's, like Mhmm. Body image for what it was. It was not helpful, and it Could kinda play into the pitfalls of patriarchy. Mhmm.
Nate:And yet, there were also elements of Barbie where she really could do anything. She could be a pilot and be in government and do these things. And in some in those ways, it was very empowering. And Jill also mentioned, like, it was kinda cool growing up that, like, Barbie didn't need Ken. And that was almost flew in the face Of maybe what, you know, whenever Barbie came out, whatever the world said that women needed a man with them.
Nate:And the fact that Barbie didn't that Ken was just like, he's around to have, like you can play like you have a boyfriend or whatever. He wasn't required. And I think The she said there's a dissonance there between Barbie as good for women and Barbie as bad for women. And this movie presents them both at the you know, presents Yeah. This is not Mattel is not a a benevolent, altruistic company.
Nate:It's just a company trying to make
Stephen:don't don't look to them to get your moral compass.
Nate:I did find as far as weird parts, I found it strange where Barbie and the creator of Barbie had this, like, ethereal white
Stephen:Listen.
Nate:Like, cloud moments of, like,
Stephen:is this I do have some doll desk. I have some questions. One I love when Ken put on 2 pairs of sunglasses. I loved that moment so good.
Nate:Apparently, that was improvised.
Stephen:So good. This is so good. And just, like, the big honestly, like, with just who I am, like, there are honestly, like, many elements of, like, hyper masculine culture that just, like, roll my eyes at. Yeah. Like the massive truck.
Stephen:I just, like, sitting on the side of the road of Barbaryland. I was like
Nate:So good.
Stephen:Or you can hurry my I drive a Kia Soul.
Nate:Them building a wall near the side of the road, being like, once they figure out how to build it I know it's not just up. We're talking for.
Stephen:So good. But I do have a question. Here's a little spoiler for the end. So the actor playing Ruth Handler who created Barbie. Again, Ruth Handler, the person actually died in 2002.
Stephen:So there's an actor playing Ruth Handler, the creator of Barbie. Mhmm. Basically gives Barbie the option to become a real human at the end. Right. And she accepts that.
Stephen:Mhmm. I have many questions about it. But number one, if you are an adult Barbie that is now a human being in Los Angeles
Speaker 7:Mhmm. Do you
Stephen:start out with, like, some money? Like, do you get, like, a job from Ruth Handler right away? What do you do there? Like, is she living with, America Ferrera and her dog?
Nate:Feel like Will Ferrell and the board of Mattel's gotta Start you off with some money. Yeah.
Stephen:I think maybe they're contractually obligated.
Nate:They I think mostly, even if it's hush money of, like, hey. Don't tell people that you're a doll come to life.
Stephen:Right. Right. Okay. Yeah.
Nate:Which by the way, do you remember oh, man. I'm gonna not gonna I'm gonna butcher this. Someone out there is screaming at their microphone. There was a Tyra Banks movie where she was a doll who came to life. I wanna say it was Lifesize.
Stephen:Oh, I I sounds familiar. I don't remember it, though.
Nate:Somewhere out there, someone's screaming this. Comment on social media
Stephen:Okay. About what that move
Nate:like it was with Tyra Banks Tom has a full size doll coming to the real world before. So I got some of those vibes.
Stephen:I'm gonna have to play a ton of clips of this movie throughout. But but honestly, like, let's rate this movie
Nate:Okay.
Stephen:On a scale of 0 to 5. Oh, so many good things. What was that? Was it the mink coat? Ken's mink coat.
Stephen:Yes. Yes. 0 to 5 mink coats. I I feel like I need to temper my my rating because I I don't I don't know. What what do you think?
Stephen:Can you go first? I don't know what to do.
Nate:Yeah. I'm gonna give this movie a solid four.
Stephen:Solid four. That's where I was leaning on it.
Nate:And and here's the thing. Yeah. I would recommend it for almost anybody. I will give this caveat. If you are someone who does not enjoy goofiness or silliness, I think that's maybe the one element other than maybe, like Yeah.
Nate:Other than I guess we'll call it, worldview. I think other than that very extreme side, I think the only thing that may not jive with people is it's very silly.
Stephen:Silly.
Nate:It's very, like, you gotta Unplug, unmoor yourself from reality, and just be okay with goofiness on screen. Because some people are not okay with, like, a level of goofiness that just pulls them out of it. Sure. So Sure. Other than that, I recommend for everyone.
Nate:I think it's a solid four. I think this will be a in another year, I think I'm gonna watch it again. Yes. And by the way, I asked Jill. She's gave it a 4a half out of 5.
Stephen:Okay. I'm also gonna give it a 4 out of 5. That that's where I was leaning. Also, full disclosure, we really wanted to have ladies on this episode, talking about Barbie. We feel like it would've made sense.
Stephen:I mean, also
Nate:If this all sounds ironic and accrual sort
Stephen:of way. Even bordering on hypocritical. Foo we wanted our wives on this episode. But as mentioned before, Nate just had a baby. My whole family is sick.
Stephen:So, like
Nate:And Steven just got a snake.
Stephen:Yeah. That's a big that's a big commitment. You have to listen to our bonus episode if you want the full story on the snake. But but we really wanted to do that, and and maybe, you know, maybe we can still do that. Kinda have like a redo Redux episode, to hear their opinions.
Stephen:But I I really enjoy I thought it was very funny. Again, the writing, it was refreshing to actually, like, see good writing on screen.
Nate:Good writing.
Stephen:I I think it was cast extremely well. I it was really fun, and so the zeitgeist was was correct. I hyped this movie up, and I I really enjoyed it. So if you enjoyed this movie or if you did not, we would love to hear from you. You can comment on our Instagram post when it goes up at movies on the side, and you can also support the show at patreon.com/moviesontheside or directly on Apple Podcasts.
Stephen:We have bonus episodes every time we release a movie review, and today, yes, we talked about, my snake, my family snake, and shoplifting. Very, seems unrelated. We did not shoplift the snake, but those are the 2 topics we discussed.
Nate:It seems unrelated Because it is.
Stephen:Because it is. But our bonus episodes are getting longer and longer. I think we went for, like, 45 minutes, earlier. So they're good they're good episodes. Check those out.
Stephen:But as we always say
Nate:You have to never get old, never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never show fear, never get underlined.
Movie Clip:It's too hard. It's too Contradictory, and nobody gives you a medal or says thank you. And it turns out, in fact, that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also Everything is your fault.
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