Recently I walked into the movie theater to catch one of 2023’s biggest hits, “Barbie,” with the expectation of it to be more than just a plastic dream world. I wasn’t disappointed. Like the rest of the audience, I found a sense of vulnerability as Barbie explores what it was like to be a woman in the real world.

Throughout history, Barbie has been an inspiring icon for many generations. I wanted to look at the real, authentic stories and see what it’s like to experience childhood with the iconic doll. “The ‘Barbie’ movie showed me that every barbie is different,” Kaylee Fisbeck, 10. She was surprised to see the movie teaches that no one has to act or look a certain way. Barbie made her feel like she can be her unique self. While society often teaches us to be a certain way, Barbie embraces it and begins to explore feelings of showing her true self.

Barbie also teaches us that no matter what version of yourself you’re experiencing: heartbroken, down, confident, on top of the world, it’s okay to feel those emotions and find a sense of vulnerability within yourself. “‘Barbie’ relates to the version of myself that I am becoming because I used to think that every girl had to live the perfect ‘barbie life’” Amry Stensgaard, 10. After watching Barbie unfold the real emotions within herself, it inspires audiences that it is okay to not be okay.

Eventually, Barbie crosses the fine line of her perfect, plastic world into the real world of womanhood. By the end of the movie, she is rich in personality and full of life. “Barbie just is, she’s an icon, a moment.” Mikayla Santini, 10. Barbie’s adventures throughout the movie helps us to connect that concept back to our own personal growth.

So, as you settle down into the theatre to watch “Barbie,” be prepared for more than just glamour and perfection. Expect an impactful story that dives deeper into the deeper emotions and struggles that make us all human, reminding us that even in a world full of plastic perfection, real, authentic emotions lie beneath the surface.