On Being Human: Reflections on Greta Gerwig’s Barbie Movie
Thursday, January 25, 2024
The “Barbie” movie was a 2023 summer hit. As the highest-grossing film of the year, the flick has become a cultural icon. This is no doubt due to its expert marketing, nostalgia-inducing subject, and its playful set and tone. Yet there’s something deeper lurking beneath Barbie’s pretty pink fun house and plastic-like perfection—something that struck an emotional chord with its audience. For a movie about a doll, the film has much to say about what it means to be human. In this piece, I’ll dissect some of these themes and assess their helpfulness for understanding what it means to be human in light of key biblical texts.
