Ever since the trailer was out, my daughters have been playing it on a loop and have been waiting to watch it in the movie halls. The 4 YO in my house, doesn’t get the excitement the older one shares, but is quick to jump into the trend and stack up her Barbie dolls and started accessorising them!
And when we at Kidsstoppress discussed about the new Barbie movie, who planned to watch it when and other things (like this article on the best Barbie dolls for your children that are more than just good looks), we noticed a teeny-tiny thing about the movie that most parents didn’t probably.
The movie comes with a PG-13 rating!
Is It Okay For My Child To Watch The Movie?
I don’t know how we missed it but I know many did. That said, there isn’t a particular reason you need to be panicking if you have already booked your tickets with your 7-8-year-olds. But this Barbie is more for the mom. For the woman in the mom, who looks at herself with doubts and guilt. For the mom, who is learning to put her foot down to how the world sees her. This movie is for her. Not exactly intended for the actual little ones playing with Barbie in our homes. Well played! Impress the kiddos, and then give the moms something to love about!
For us, when we watched it, it felt like a walk down the nostalgia lane. Brought back memories of me unwrapping my first ever Barbie my mom gifted me when I was 6. How careful I was when combing her hair and how obsessed I was about colour-coordinating her outfits for the day. That’s a lot of our childhood that played on my mind, as I sat there waiting for the movie to unleash its magic on us.
Coming back to the point of whether it is okay to have your child tag you along, I am sure they are not going to like what’s offered. The lines and the theme of the movie branch on to breaking patriarchal clutches, empowering women and rising above and believing in themselves. So in a nutshell- naa, the kids are going to want an ice cream as a bribe on the way back home, parents. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
There Will Be More Questions When You’re Back Home…
There are also some subtle references to adult talk, nothing explicit though, that you might have to explain to your kids, especially if yours are like mine. (P.S. Questioning everything. Literally. good luck having to explain ‘beach off’ to them!)
But if you are going to watch it with your teens, or they are hopping together as a group of friends, let them. This movie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, is laced with generous pink that tells women aren’t just mere objects and talking about body consent. Kids are going to want to know more about patriarchy and feminism that this movie talks so generously about. Moms are going to love the “it is okay to be ordinary” poster message the film aims for, but not sure the dads accompanying their kids would be in consensus with the male-bashing sentiment that some felt it echoed.
That said, who would have thought, that a movie so notoriously famous for the perfect definition of beauty could well be the flag-bearer movie of feminism in today’s era? Greta Gerwig’s movie manages to achieve this, which remains the surprise element for all who walked into the cinema halls.
Did you watch the movie yet? What did you think of it? Let us know in the comments below.
Mansi Zaveri
