Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is a worldwide revolution. Tackling feminism, the patriarchy, and a cotton candy color palette, Barbie is a true sensation. Although this movie is making headlines everywhere, is Barbie kid-friendly? I’m breaking down all of the thematic elements, including its PG-13 rating, in this Barbie Parents Guide and Movie Review. Here’s what parents need to know to help YOU decide if it’s age appropriate for your kids. As always, no spoilers!
BARBIE Parents Guide + Movie Review
Since the first trailer was shown, the Barbie movie has taken the world by storm. The geniuses behind the marketing team deserve all the applause for the success of this movie. Their marketing campaign exuded pure brilliance.
What makes the Barbie movie so enticing, is the fact that Barbie has been around for decades, therefore, appealing to multiple generations. And while your first thought might be that this is a kids movie, this couldn’t be further than the truth. Surprisingly, Barbie’s target demographic is NOT children.
So, who is the Barbie movie for? Well, that’s easy. Barbie is for everyone.
The Story
Every day is the same day in Barbie Land — and it’s perfection. However, it is evident that each day in Barbie Land is reminiscent of Groundhog Day. It’s literally the same, perfect day, every single day. There are multiple Barbie’s in Barbie Land. Because Barbie can be anything, there is President Barbie, Physicist Barbie, Doctor Barbie, Mermaid Barbie, etc. Our story focuses on Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie).
Unwilling, Barbie begins to change. Her feet are suddenly flat, and she’s developing cellulite! She even has thoughts of (gasp) dying! Soon she finds herself in the middle of a full-blown existential crisis. With the advice of Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon), Barbie sets off on an adventure to the real world (Los Angeles), in search of who has been playing with her, and thus putting these thoughts into her head.
Ken (Ryan Gosling) sneaks along on the adventure, because Ken’s whole purpose in life is Barbie.
Now, I know that sounds like an unbearably cheesy storyline, but trust me when I say there is much more substance to the Barbie movie than meets the eye.
The Cinematography and Soundtrack
If you grew up playing Barbies, you’re in for a real treat. The setting of Barbie Land is perfection. It’s the most perfect pink color palette, filled with multiple Barbie Dreamhouses, and other bits of nostalgia. Fans will have fun noticing various Easter eggs and taking a trip down memory lane. Although the Barbie movie is a live-action film, animation is cleverly woven into the storyline.
The soundtrack for the Barbie movie is top notch. Not only are the tunes spectacular, the film features fun dance sequences with impressive choreography. Ryan Gosling’s, Ken, has his own number, and it’s a whole vibe.
Is Barbie Kid-Friendly? Here’s Your Parents Guide:
While your first thought might be that Barbie is obviously a kids movie, that is definitely not the case. In fact, it appeared evident in the trailers that Barbie might be made for older generations. Not only is the Barbie movie live-action, it also has a PG-13 rating.
Why is Barbie rated PG-13?
The Barbie movie has an MPA rating of PG-13 for suggestive references and brief language. Barbie has a runtime of 1 hour 54 minutes. Here’s what parents need to know before seeing the new Barbie movie with your kids.
Violence: There is one fight scene between the Kens.
Language: The language in Barbie is fairly mild. Lookout words include: damn, Hell, Bimbo, bitch, and a bleeped out Mother F*****.
Mature Content: There are multiple sexual innuendos in the Barbie movie. Ken makes a comment that he doesn’t have a penis and Barbie doesn’t have a vagina. He then says that they don’t have any genitals at all. Other content includes one Ken twisting another Ken’s nipples, a random person in the real world smacking Barbie’s butt, and cat-calling. Barbie and Kens are shown drinking alcohol and a character gets arrested. There is also mention of being day drunk. Barbie is suffering from an existential crisis and some of her actions appear related to depression.
What is the Age Recommendation for the Barbie Movie?
As I previously stated, the Barbie movie is NOT intended for your little ones. Simply put, they wouldn’t understand it, and therefore, wouldn’t enjoy it. There’s too much of a story. Barbie would be best suited for ages (mature) 10 and up — but even that age group will have some questions. There are some great conversation starters in the Barbie movie that you can have with your children.
Is there and End-Credits Scene in the Barbie Movie?
End credit scenes are all the rage thanks to the MCU. We are trained to keep our butts seated throughout the lengthly post credit rolls. With that being said, Barbie does NOT have any end credit scene. Feel free to get up and stretch.
Overall Thoughts
Barbie is the most inclusive movie I’ve seen in a long time. It perfectly showcases the evolution of Barbie with a strong message of self-acceptance loud and clear. America Ferrera’s character, Gloria, has the most powerful speech in the movie. Women have such a pressure on themselves to be extraordinary in all of the things, but society continuously deems them not good enough. It’s exhausting. The audience in my theater literally applauded at her conclusion because it’s the hard truth.
The cast of Barbie puts on a stellar performance, while Ryan Gosling steals the show with every scene he’s in. But, it’s the heart of the Barbie movie that wins it for me. Bravo, Greta Gerwig, for a job well done.
Barbie Synopsis
To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken.
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