Barbie (2023)

What earned the score

• Hari Nef Cast as Doctor Barbie

  Transgender actor Hari Nef portrays Doctor Barbie in Barbieland, marking explicit transgender representation within the film's matriarchal utopia.

• Implied Lesbian Character

  Weird Barbie, played by Kate McKinnon, is described in the cast list as 'implied Gay Barbie,' signaling a coded lesbian identity for the character.

• Ken Dance Routines Feature Same-Sex Affection

  In the Kendom storyline, Ken characters perform Busby Berkeley-style dance sequences that include 'male on male cheek-to-cheek kiss' choreography and 'bump, grind' routines. During these sequences, multiple Kens embrace and two kiss Stereotypical Ken on the cheeks, presenting barely disguised homoeroticism and suggesting same-sex intimacy among the male dolls.

• Two men kiss a third man

  Two men kiss a third man on the cheek during a dance sequence.

• Dialogue about lacking genitalia

  A woman tells a group of men, “I do not have a vagina and he [Ken] does not have a penis,” explicitly referencing gendered anatomy.

• Man questions his gender identity

  A man asks, “If I am a man with no power, does that mean I’m a woman?” indicating a direct questioning of gender identity.

Details

Barbie and Ken are having the time of their lives in the colorful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land. However, when they get a chance to go to the real world, they soon discover the joys and perils of living among humans.

Starring

Margot RobbieRyan GoslingAmerica FerreraAriana GreenblattIssa Rae

Director

Greta Gerwig

Writer

Greta GerwigNoah Baumbach

Genre

ComedyAdventureFantasy

Release Date

Jul 19, 2023

Parents Guide

• Sex Mild

  Barbie gets catcalled by several male construction workers; she cluelessly replies with her having no vagina and Ken having no penis.

  Growing Up Skipper is briefly featured in a scene with banned/discontinued Barbies, her breasts are shown inflating just like the real life Growing Up Skipper doll.

  Ken dolls & Barbie dolls wear swimwear & beach attire that exposes skin.

  Weird Barbie calls Ken a "nice lookin' little protein pot" and says she would like to see what kind of "nude blob" he's "packing" under his jeans.

• Violence None

  A big fight among a lot of characters involves use of silly weapons and physical grappling.

  Violence is mild and comical. Kicks, weapons, and punches are comical.

  Allan fights off a group of construction worker Kens.

  Ken gets hurt by the plastic waves when surfing, the waves are still but we don't see him injured. It's meant to be pretend and not real. The overall scene is played for laughs.

  Mild slapstick violence but nothing brutal.

  In a scene parodying 2001: A Space Odyssey young girls smash their baby dolls when a giant version of Barbie appears.

  A robotic dog defecates. The dog is based off of a Barbie doll's dog that "pooped" plastic pellets. Even though the poop is plastic some viewers may find this gross.

  When Barbie shows her flat feet to the other Barbies and Kens they make loud gagging noises which may trigger viewers who have emetophobia.

  Barbie almost throws up after drinking spoiled milk.

• Profanity Mild

  A couple uses of "Barbie b**ch" in the closing credits soundtrack.

  Use of the word "phallic".

  One use of motherf*cker, however it's censored.

  4 uses of "crap". "Hell" and "d**n" are used once.

  1 not fully enunciated F-word derivative, 4 scatological terms, 3 anatomical terms, and 2 mild obscenities.

  Name-calling (too weird, protein pod, baby girl, rude, sad, bad, complicated, catastrophic, hornet's nest, White Savior Barbie, selfish, crass, insane, stupid, disrespectful, superfluous, messed up, shovel heads, damsel in distress, reality challenged, nut job, tiny baby, object, brainwashed, Jezebel, fascist, stereotypical, weirder, ugly, uglier, bummer, crazy, sweetie, professional bimbo).

  "God," "christ," "crap," "hell," "d**n," and one bleeped use of "f**k" respectively.

• Drugs None

  Kens are frequently shown "drinking" beer in the second half of the movie. However, there is no actual liquid in Barbieland. It is pretended.

  Characters "drink" wine, but nothing comes out of the glasses since there is no liquid.

• Frightening Scenes None

  Barbie mentions death, when she says "have you ever thought about dying?" in the dance scene.

  Several scenes that talk about death.

  A scene at the end where 2 characters talk about how humans don't live forever.

  For older kids and up.

  The song "What was I made for" may make viewers emotional especially since it plays during a very poignant moment in the film.

Reviews

• ★★★★★ 5 stars Noticeable

  Villainizes men.