Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past several weeks, you’re probably aware that Barbie-mania has taken over the world.
Written and directed by Greta Gerwig, “Barbie” showcases Margot Robbie embodying the titular doll, with heartthrob Ryan Gosling as her partner, Ken.
If you haven’t seen it yet, an official synopsis explains:
“Barbie and Ken are having the time of their lives in the colorful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land. However, when they get a chance to go to the real world, they soon discover the joys and perils of living among humans.”
The movie’s triumph at the box office has etched Gerwig’s name in history, marking it as the “highest-grossing movie by a female director.”
It’s more than mere box office records though. Viewers have taken to the film passionately, to the extent that certain women are
“Vowing to ditch their boyfriends if they don’t agree with the movie’s feminist message.”
On the viral wave of TikTok, relationships face an intriguing challenge prompted by the Barbie saga. One TikTok user issues a direct edict:
“Take your boyfriend to Barbie if he doesn’t understand the movie… dump him.”
Another TikToker issues a cautionary alert:
“If you’re dating a man and he doesn’t like the Barbie movie, you need to break up with him.”
A pithy perspective suggests a fresh lens for partner evaluation:
“I think taking your boyfriend to Barbie should be your relationship test to decide if he’s a good long-term partner.”
The fervor for Barbie’s wisdom extends to Reddit, where women find solace in shared experiences.
“I feel like I’m the a**hole for letting the Barbie movie affect my relationship and the way I see my boyfriend,”
confesses a Reddit user.
“My friends keep telling me I shouldn’t let it change how I view my boyfriend because our relationship is really good and healthy.”
Yet, her actions veer in a different direction:
“I’ve been also sending him nonstop TikToks and Tweets about the movie and saying that men wouldn’t understand and that if my bf doesn’t understand then I should rethink our whole relationship, which is what I’ve been doing lately.”
Taking it a notch higher, one woman unveils a breakup triggered by a boyfriend’s refusal to wear pink for the movie’s screening. To her, it was symbolic, an act that “meant a lot” and could’ve been an affirmation of support.
Amid the TikTok uproar and Reddit revelations, one question takes center stage: Can a movie hold the keys to relationship destiny?
While some might see this trend as a whimsical ripple from a cinematic splash, others glimpse a deeper undercurrent. Dr. Emily Hartstein, an expert on relationships, suggests,
“Movies have a way of unearthing hidden sentiments and sparking essential conversations within relationships.”
