Premiering just under two weeks ago, Greta Gerwig's Barbie became an instant success, making an impressive $150 million at the box office during the opening weekend. To date, the film has grossed approximately $800 million, five times its production budget. And there are good reasons for that.
First, the film features a large and stellar cast, including Margot Robbie, Kate McKinnon, Ryan Gosling, Simu Liu, Dua Lipa, Helen Mirren, and Will Ferrell, thus giving viewers a kaleidoscope of familiar and beloved faces. Second, the brilliant script offers a highly entertaining story – a blend of absurdist humour, self-aware irony, feminism, and politics.
Last but not least, the film's OST features a plethora of new songs by Dua Lipa, Lizzo, Billie Eilish, and many more. Naturally, many people now want to see Barbie get nominations and awards at the next Oscars.
The thing is, though, that an Academy Award is almost certainly completely out of reach for Greta Gerwig's film. Despite being thought-provoking, it is primarily a comedy. It's been twelve years since a comedy won an Oscar, with The Artist taking home the Best Picture award in 2011. Furthermore, Barbie faces stiff competition from Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, a historical biopic about the creator of the first atomic bomb.
Still, some people believe Barbie has the potential for a surprise win at the Oscars. It's not as far-fetched as it may appear at first glance. For starters, Greta Gerwig's been nominated for Oscars three times; her partner, and Barbie's co-writer Noah Baumbach, also has three Oscar nominations under his belt. Perhaps, the combined effort they have poured into Barbie will finally earn them the coveted statuette.
On a more serious note, Barbie offers some sharp commentary on a number of social issues, such as patriarchy, societal expectations of women, power, harassment, and corporate greed, as well as personal legacy. More importantly, the film presents these topics in an entertaining manner. While some may find it superficial, others will argue that Barbie manages to balance serious social commentary and entertainment, remaining the enjoyable comedy it was intended to be while giving viewers plenty of food for thought. Thus, an Oscar may not be out of the question for Barbie after all. For instance, Gold Derby ranks the film sixth in its predictions for the next Best Picture winner.
Ultimately, if you've seen Barbie, you won't object to it getting an Oscar – the film certainly deserves it. If you haven't, be sure to catch it in theatres where it's currently playing – you're guaranteed to have a great time!
Source: Gold Derby.