Bryan Jones
Contributing Writer
Once again, it’s that time of year. Hollywood is humming in anticipation of the Oscars, and fans of film are eagerly waiting to see what movies are selected for the awards.
Barbie, a fantasy-comedy film with musical scores, was largely lauded as one of the most successful films of 2023 and swept the nation up in a social media frenzy.
Boasting a large cast full of A-list talent, Barbie has all the makings of a film that resonates deeply with people. Talented actors such as America Ferrara, Ryan Gosling and Kate McKinnon help to create a compelling world that firmly grasps the attention of viewers.
Earning a 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes, an influential website among moviegoers, the movie is largely praised for its strong feminist undertones and satirical take on capitalism. It’s a fun film that thoroughly keeps viewers entertained throughout.
However, it’s worth noting that the film’s female lead, Margot Robbie did not receive an Oscar nomination for her role as the titular character, Barbie. Robbie turns in a believable performance, as her character goes through an existential crisis that leaves her questioning her life, in particular her mortality.
There’s a certain believability to the behavior of her character, especially as the seemingly perfect life of Barbie is upended due to those thoughts of her mortality.
Considering that the film grossed 1.4 billion in theaters per Statista, and was the highest-grossing film of the year, going so far as to shatter box office records for opening weekends for live-action comedies, the anger that fans feel about Robbie and director Greta Gerwig being snubbed by the academy does have merit.
After all, if someone were to look at the numbers alone then the consideration for the two to be nominated by the academy certainly makes sense, especially when actress America Ferrera was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress and Ryan Gosling was nominated for the role of Best Supporting Actor.
The frustration and criticisms that fans feel towards the academy for these snubs is only intensified when the pair directly responsible for the creation of the film, is seemingly brushed aside in such a way.
But, ESU senior Gabriel Montalvo sees things a bit differently.
“People are politicizing whether Greta Gerwig is nominated, focusing more on female versus male talking points, instead of the point of the snub. What makes a good film?”
It’s a valid question, and viewers need to consider what makes a film truly Oscar-worthy. Yes, several aspects of the film are very much worth praising, and the film itself can be considered good—perhaps even very good—but is it a truly great film?
It’s fun, it’s exciting, and it keeps the attention of the audience throughout, but is Margot Robbie utterly compelling in her role? Do viewers find themselves lost in the film, or are they very aware of the movie they’re watching? Does Greta Gerwig pour her soul into Barbie as a director, or are viewers witnessing the strength of IP more than anything?
Greta Gerwig is talented—exceptionally so, and considering the likeability of Margot Robbie, as well as her own talent, the pair will be around for years to come. As good as Barbie is, is it Gerwig’s Magnum Opus? Did Robbie turn in a Tour De Force performance? When thinking of the discourse surrounding this film and its Oscar nominations, these are the questions that must be considered.
