Is Barbie (2023) ok for kids? This PG-13 rated film may not be appropriate for kids with its mature subject matter. While Barbie does have some fun moments, bright colors, and flashy Ken-ergy, kids may not be all that interested. There aren’t many Easter eggs for those who watch the animated Barbie films and Barbie Life in the Dreamhouse, but there are plenty for adults. Here’s what parents need to know in this Barbie Movie Parents Guide.
Barbie Movie Parents Guide (2023)
Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) has the perfect life. She has an amazing dreamhouse, she hangs out with all her Barbie friends all day, and women rule Barbieland. However, when she starts wondering about death and her feet go flat, she is forced to visit Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon). Weird Barbie tells her she has to travel to reality, aka L.A., to fix the rift between Barbieland and the real world.
She has to find the girl who has been playing too rough with her causing her to get cellulite. Ken (Ryan Gosling) jumps in Barbie’s car for the ride, hoping to gain her love and attention. However, Ken soon realizes that maybe the patriarchy is what he wants instead. And Barbie realizes that maybe she didn’t change the world for the better for women like she had thought.
Age Rating: Why is the Barbie Movie Rated PG-13?
Barbie is rated PG-13 for some language and suggestive sexual references which means some content may not be suitable for kids under 13.
Language in the Barbie Movie
Language is mild-ish in Barbie including a couple of uses of damn, hell, and uses of Deity like “oh my g-d.” Some songs in the film include language like damn and bi*ch. There is also a bleeped out use of motherfu*ker.
Mature Content: Is Barbie OK for Kids?
While there is no explicit nudity in Barbie, there are sexual innuendos and sexual references. A character wonders about the nude blob Ken has and what he’s packing under those jeans. Barbie tells a character they don’t have genitals – a penis or vagina. Kens yell about a “beach off” which is a sexual reference.
Parents, just be aware that if you bring younger kids, they may be asking abut the meaning of some of those words.
Barbie is cat-called in the real world. A character slaps another on the behind.
Many Kens are seen shirtless. Some Barbie outfits are revealing.
There isn’t much romance except Ken’s crush on Barbie and two other Kens kiss Ken on the cheek.
There is a fight scene with sports equipment as weapons.
Characters drink alcohol and talk about beer.
Mature themes of feminism, equality, and patriarchy are prevalent.
Is the Barbie Movie Appropriate for Kids Under 13?
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is not a kid movie. It doesn’t mean it’s a bad movie; it just means it wasn’t made for kids. If your kids’ fandom comes from movies like Barbie & The Diamond Castle or Barbie Life in the Dreamhouse, then they will be somewhat disappointed. The audacity of leaving out Raquel. You’ll get plenty of pink, and plenty of Barbie, but Barbie is going through adult things and adult feelings.
You can expect mature themes, political and social commentary, and sexual innuendos in Barbie. To sum it up, the Barbie movie is kid friendly for kids 10 and older. However, if you have little feminists, then they will probably relate and enjoy the movie. Get your tiny activists some pink popcorn and a dose of inequality.
Many jokes will go over kids’ heads for sure, but at times I felt like I was being preached to. I believe in all the messages conveyed and could certainly relate to Gloria’s speech during the film. Gloria is the one who started the rift in Barbieland with her feelings of loneliness and sadness and feeling like she wasn’t good enough for her daughter. As she explained how exhausting it is to be a woman and measure up to expectation of perfectionism, of course I wanted to slow clap. It. Is. Exhausting. In fact many people in the theater did clap.
But I also wanted some subtlety in the messages. And maybe a little more fun. Barbie’s marketing team is so dang good, I thought I was going to Barbie party central. Maybe I was just exhausted at watching more women being exhausted. Also, some relationships were left unexplored. I wanted to know how Gloria got to the point she had reached.
Don’t get me wrong, Robbie was excellent, Gosling was phenomenal, and every casting decision was on-point. Michael Cera as Allan was comically entertaining, but underutilized. Barbie does show us that life in plastic isn’t quite as fantastic as we think. There’s more to the doll – whether you love her or hate her.
This is not a man-hating movie. The film is full of men. It gives a glimpse into a life reversed. What if women ruled the world? Or Barbieland? Is it right that any majority doesn’t take into consideration the lives and feelings of others?
I adore Greta Gerwig and her work. She was able to strike a balance of lightheartedness, emotion, and amusement. Things got heavy for a bit, but the musical numbers and choreography were upbeat and entertaining. And the colors were amazing.
I also enjoyed all the Easter eggs. There was just a tiny spark missing that I was waiting for. Barbie was Kenough. I was hoping for Kenmore.
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