On Jan. 7, 2024, the Golden Globes aired, nominating impactful and unique films like “Barbie,” directed by Greta Gerwig, and “Oppenheimer,” directed by Christopher Nolan. Both movies won awards and earned well-deserved recognition.
The host of this year’s Golden Globe was a relatively unknown comedian, Jo Koy. Although having an infamous host was not bothersome to me, his actual jokes were. They were lazy and simply unfunny, but also occasionally offensive. His monologue at the beginning struck me as he stated, “‘Oppenheimer’ is based on the 721-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project… and ‘Barbie’ is about a plastic doll with big boobies.’” Although there was some laughter from the crowd, there was an awkward atmosphere afterward and a greater backlash from the media. People argued that Jo Koy completely ignores the meaning behind “Barbie,” which has been argued to be an empowering feminist film.
Although it may seem ridiculous that a plastic toy could ever contribute and amount to such a movement, she has. The movie did increase revenue for Mattel, but it also shared a message about the difficulties women deal with just by existing.
When I think of my experience when watching the “Barbie” movie, my mind immediately goes to America Ferrera’s character, Gloria, who has a monologue on how unfair it is to be a woman. Although many dismissed this as being dramatic or overdone, it caused me, and many others, to tear up in the theaters with lines like, “I’m just so tired of watching myself and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us. And if all of that is also true for a doll just representing women, then I don’t even know.” The film is not just about the color pink and dolls and Ken; it is about women and how they should accept their flaws rather than push themselves to fit into impossible standards.
On top of the disparities that women face, they are also placed against each other and forced to compete. However, the “Barbie” movie counters this as instead of caving into the hate women have for each other, the women in the film encourage and uplift one another through their friendship. This is demonstrated towards the end as Margot Robbie’s character is supported by Gloria and her daughter Sasha, who believe in her and believe that she can take back Barbieland.
Jo Koy is partially right—“Barbie” is a movie about plastic dolls, but it also carries the substantial and transformative message that each woman is enough.
