Barbie has been a toy store staple since the doll first hit shelves in 1959. For those doing the math, that means that Mattel has been cranking out dolls with unnaturally arched feet for more than six decades. With the Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in theaters, it’s almost impossible to avoid Barbie collabs everywhere you look, and you better believe your Barbie-loving kid is also aware there’s a big screen adaptation at your local megaplex. But is Barbie a kids movie and should you give into their begging and plan a movie night?
Here’s all the information you need to make the decision:
**Spoiler alert: Mild Barbie spoilers to follow.
Is Barbie a kids movie?
The short, technical answer is no. It’s definitely not in the How to Train Your Dragon/Despicable Me camp of G/PG-rated movies designed for children of all ages. It is rated PG-13 and stars almost entirely adult actors. So if you’re looking to take your 6-year-old, I’d maybe advise against it. However, the real answer is far more complicated. Here are some things to consider:
Barbie is rated PG-13
When the Motion Picture Association graded Barbie they gave it a PG-13 rating for “suggestive references” and “brief language.” Having scene the film, I can say that the “suggestive references” are mostly innuendo such as using the term “beach off” and construction workers cat calling Barbie. The “brief language” includes the f-word bleeped out along with a singular use of “hell” and “damn.” So on the range of PG-13 titles, this one is fairly tame.
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Barbie is about existential dread and gender roles
While Barbie may not include a lot of adult content by way of sex, language or violence. Its themes are certainly a bit more grown up. Barbie must face the woes of the world which include depression, self-loathing, the patriarchy, relationship issues and fear of death. While I think many of these are problems that also face children and young adults, they are certainly targeted at a more adult demographic in the movie.
Related: All of Margot Robbie’s ‘Barbie’ Press Tour Outfits, and the Barbie Looks That Inspired Them
Barbie has a childlike naïveté
On the flip side, the characters in the movie are all very childlike. The dolls haven’t been exposed to the horrors of the real world so they operate in a very fun, wholesome, clean manner. While they are played by adults, I’d argue that the Barbie characters are more like children than adults in most ways.
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Barbie is a mother/daughter story
One of the major plotlines of Barbie involves the relationship Gloria (America Ferrrera) and her tween daughter Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt). The real-life pair help Barbie when she’s in the human world and return with her to Barbieland. Their story should be relatable for parent/child duos who were close during the child’s younger years but have grown apart in the middle school/high school years.
Barbie is comparable to Marvel
As far as themes and adult/child dynamics, I’d say that the Barbie movie is geared toward a similar demographic as the Marvel Cinematic Universe films. The characters are mostly adults and a lot of the themes relate to adults, but there is plenty here for tweens and teens to enjoy. Plus, unlike the MCU films, there’s really nothing “scary” about Barbie, and there isn’t really any action or violence aside from a dance battle.
Should you take kids to see Barbie?
While every parent has to make their own decision based on their values and what they consider appropriate for their children, I’d say that Barbie is suitable for tweens, teens and adults. Sure there are some adult themes, but those would easily slip over the heads of younger viewers while they enjoy the costumes/comedy/musical numbers. Elementary school-aged kids will probably enjoy it less, but since it’s not scary, doesn’t involve violence or sex, and has limited profanity, you’d probably be OK taking younger kids as well.
While there are numerous movies targeting this age group, there are relatively few with strong female protagonists. If you are looking for something to teach your children (of any gender) about the importance of feminism, Barbie would be an excellent choice.
Just be forewarned that they will probably start begging for Barbie dolls.
Barbie is now playing in theaters.
Next, Everything You Need to Know About the Barbie Movie
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