By simply acknowledging the existence of patriarchy, does that make Barbie a feminist film? ... Keeping in mind that this is a film made to be enjoyed by tweens and adults alike, it seems a bit unfair to give Barbie that ideological responsibility.
Gerwig was not the first and is not the only voice women have in cinema. To expect her work, or any work for that matter, to capture the totality of what it means to be a woman in the world today seems unreasonable.
This isn’t just a story of Barbie finding herself, it’s about her seeing the world as it really is for the first time. And who would be more in need of a reality check than a thin, blonde white woman?