Don't bother: Nadia Jamil shares 'cringe moments' while watching 'Barbie'

Star took to Twitter to share her thoughts on the Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling starrer

Actor Nadia Jamil took to Twitter to share her thoughts on the Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling starrer, Barbie. Directed by Greta Gerwig, the film seems to have not made a great impression on Jamil, who jotted down a review of sorts of the film. "I’d like to share a few of my cringe moments while watching Barbie," penned the actor. "I’d also like to say [that] the only reason I wasted my money on it was because the government of Punjab banned it."

Listing her qualms with the film, Jamil first highlighted how the depiction of the pregnant Barbie irked her. "'[A] pregnant doll is just too weird.' This doll is shown twice and mocked both times. Being pregnant is the most natural thing in the world. Get over it. To encourage little girls to see it as something repulsive is an awful idea," said Jamil. 

Continuing further, Jamil wrote, "Even normal cool, real girl Sasha becomes an over-groomed pink bunny." The star made sure her frustration at this transition was evident. She added, "I have flat feet. They are beautiful. I don't know why everyone is puking over flat feet. Another unhealthy thing to teach little kids." Strangely enough, the obsession with flat feet is highlighted as absurd in the film, and the over-the-top manner in which the narrative flows highlights that the obsession is unhealthy. 

"The amount of times cellulite is mentioned as something ugly is sick. Cellulite is natural and normal! The amount of eating disorders and body shame issues this could trigger is insane," added the actor. The purpose of these scenes in the film, however, is to depict Barbie's acceptance of the fact that as a Stereotypical Barbie, her perpetuation of a certain body type does more harm than good. 

"Why is the only Barbie with short hair considered 'weird?' She's so awkward at the end for being who she is," asserted Jamil. Furthermore, Jamil stated, "There is an obsession with being 'beautiful' or 'ugly' and it’s based on looks. At one point, Barbie is thinking about how 'ugly' she is and the narrator chimes in [about] how Margot Robbie is not right for the role, as if that is the standard for all beauty. Whatever." It is pertinent to note that this is done to showcase how Robbie is a stand-in for a more traditional idea of beauty, which is why her name is Stereotypical Barbie. Moreover, her obsession with beauty has everything to do with her personal journey from Stereotypical Barbie to learning that there is more to her than her beauty. 

"The Barbie world is awful/cruel to the Kens and Barbies are never interested in equality. They are interested in bullying and domineering men, almost in revenge for the real world. Another [awful] message to kids," said Jamil. Barbieland is supposed to be an inverse reflection of the real world.  

"Every woman doesn’t 'tie herself up in knots to be liked,' nor does she need to rant against men to empower herself," stated Jamil further. She further noted, "The sudden epiphany for 'ordinary Barbie' ends with ordinary Barbie a Mom, 'just getting by, wanting to feel good about herself. Mothers are not ordinary. They are almost always, extraordinary." Jamil also added, "Death as something terrifyingly final is a very Western idea. Our word is Inteqal. It means transition." She went on to slam the film, writing, "This movie states the obvious ad nauseam. It's boring for intelligent adults, rarely funny, and sells ideas about beauty to children, while rarely celebrating inclusivity as something normal and human." 

"Ryan Gosling is both beautiful and brilliant," penned the actor. "So that's the only time the money was worth spending in what was mainly one mega eye roll cliche. Loudly stereotyping the worst of shallow elitism and the worst aspects of Americanism. Don't bother," stated Jamil, summing up her thoughts.

I’d like 2 share a few of my cringe moments while watching #Barbie. I’d also like 2 say the ONLY reason I wasted my money on it was because @govtofpunjabpk banned it😂

1/ “Pregnant doll is just too weird” This doll is shown twice & mocked both times.
Being pregnant is the most… pic.twitter.com/8wjMP4VRFz

— Nadia Jamil (@NJLahori) July 25, 2023

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