The 2023 “Barbie” film stole the hearts of women and girls for obvious reasons, shining light on the various emotional and societal issues we face.
This movie follows Barbie’s journey to the real world to find the little girl causing her trouble in Barbie Land. Her boyfriend Ken joins her unsolicitedly.
Even though the film is meant to show the complexities of womanhood and girlhood, it is clear from the beginning that Ken is a multidimensional character. Now let me convince you why.
Ryan Gosling wonderfully executed his role as Ken. His persona was the perfect amount of boyish charm that also highlighted Ken’s deep side.
In Barbie Land, it was literally a party every day. From enjoying a perfect morning to having fun at the beach and then grooving to a choreographed dance party, life was awesome for the dolls. The Barbies had their roles, the Kens had theirs and everyone was perfect.
There was no need to question reality as humans often do. They did not stress about the mundane things in life or their existence.
It comes as a shock for the other dolls when “Stereotypical” Barbie, played by Margot Robbie, starts to think about death. But Ken consistently feels negatively toward himself.
My first piece of evidence is when Ken requests to have a sleepover with Barbie. She rejects him without hesitation even though this is a clear indication he wants more from their relationship.
He was searching for an intimate connection and got shot down. Barbie’s exact words were, “I don’t want you here.” This response instantly puts Ken into panic mode and he questions if he is good enough for her.
Additionally, his intentions were pure. Some may think he wanted to stay the night for sexual reasons but Ken clearly states he does not know why he should spend the night. He just knows it’s what people in relationships do.
After Barbie ends the conversation to join her friends, Ken shows disappointment with the outcome but whispers to himself, “I love you too,” hoping she feels the same.
Even when he is faced with rejection he feels no resentment towards her. He loves her unconditionally.
Furthermore, Ken wanted to join Barbie on her trip after another Ken questioned their relationship. This stirred up negative feelings within Gosling’s Ken. He began to feel like he had to prove himself to others.
When someone feels like they need to prove themselves to others, it is often a sign of insecurity. And Ken shows these signs, unlike everyone else in Barbie Land.
He took this opportunity to fulfill his role of boyfriend and accompany Barbie in case she needed any help. This may also be another moment that can be misconstrued.
Some may take this as Ken showing off his toxic masculinity, but he is not exposed to this kind of behavior until reaching the real world. This means his actions are based on pure intentions and to show others the depth of their relationship.
Moreover, when Barbie and Ken reach the real world, he realizes that the patriarchy is a strong force. His excitement is clear when he realizes he too can be respected and heard. This leads to his iconic solo, “I’m Just Ken.”
Overwhelmed by his epiphany of manhood, Ken returns to Barbie Land alone and takes over Barbie’s dream house. Recognizing his true emotions and allowing himself to feel, Ken performs his song about feeling like he is not appreciated and overlooked by those around him.
At the end of the day, we all want to be “Kenough.”
From deeply rooted insecurities and a full-blown identity crisis, I think it is obvious that Ken does not represent the nonchalant men of the real world.
In some ways, I think we are all a little bit like Ken. We all want to feel loved and appreciated by the people we care about. Everything Ken did before creating his “Mojo Dojo Casa House” was to please Barbie and prove himself worthy of her.
The “Barbie” movie is a great representation of the real-life experiences women face daily, but it also highlights how some men are overlooked in society.
We are all people and all desire to have connections with others.