To not let me kids see the barbie movie

[KingsHeath53]

My sons, 6 and 7, are desperate to see the barbie movie. I told them it’s for grown ups and they were gutted.

I saw it last night and actually didn’t think it was very inappropriate. Few references to adult themes but nothing worse than in a lot of family shows like the Simpsons. That said I think maybe the middle section about feminist theory and cultural representation might go over their heads 🙃

Though as young men maybe it would be good exposure?

Anyway I’m still saying no unless mumsnet thinks I’m being mean…

YABU - 6 and 7 year old kids can see the Barbie movie

YANBU - they’re too young

I have seen it, it’s great! And fine for that age… the very few moments of innuendo - if you even call it that it’s so tame - will go over their head.

My almost 7yo is keen to see it. I completely get it’s not a “kids film” but it’s very hard to explain that to a Barbie mad girl who has seen trailers before recent trips to Elemental and the Little Mermaid. I’m on the fence on whether we will go or not.

Seriously... One film is not going to define their thoughts if you've brought them up properly.

If they want to see it let them, it will probably be very underwhelming for them.... A good life lesson that everything is not as it seems....

Btw we're going next weekend.

Based on the general consensus of the thread it might be fairer to the other paying cinema goers to wait til it’s on Netflix maybe. Then she still gets to see it, and if she does get bored she can go off and play without anyone else being inconvenienced (including you) by a potentially bored child.

I'd have thought it was the perfect thing for boys to watch, from what I've read. I'm going to watch it soon but I've heard it's a good attempt to question what men think it is to be a man. That can never be a bad thing to discuss with young boys and we desperately need for boys to understand that bullshit masculinity is crock of shit. It's perfectly possible to be a man and none of the toxic crap that kids seem to look for in people like Andrew Tate.

I asked a mate of mine if he fancied it and he had no interest because it was Barbie. I think a lot of men won't watch it because it may be emasculating. But I don't care and I like Greta Gerwig so think it'll be thought provoking and a good watch. Margo Robbie is great too, so am sure it's a brilliant film.

Children are conditioned by everything around them so I'd have thought that exposure to films like this might subconsciously register. I honestly can't see any harm.

Same reaction from eight-year-old daughter and nine-year-old niece. Said they understood the movie. They understood it at their level. Barbie got sad, went to the real world with Ken. All the Kens got mean. Barbies fought back. All friends again. Definitely didn't get the ending which is a mic drop. Loved the dancing, costumes, colours, slapstick, chase scenes, sisterhood moments. Loved Ryan Gosling. Similar to Frozen 2, it's very 'meta', which is for the adults.

DD17 loved it and is going again with me. From what I understand it’s not inappropriate just not a kids’ movie so they’ll likely be bored. A few people I know have mentioned finding it irritating that the cinema was full of bored children fidgeting and talking. I wish more parents would do some research as you have OP.

I took my 7 & 9 year old daughters and they loved it. It is a great film with a lovely message and they sang about girl power all the way home! They were not fidgeting and chatting, they were totally engaged in the movie. There were a couple of innuendos but not much more than a disney film, which always has snippets aimed at the adults. You know your children. Strangers on the Internet do not.

I have told my own DSs that if they misbehave we are going to watch the Barbie movie. They said nooooo!

At 6&7 they’re not young men, and they might be annoying for other people in the audience. They won’t get anything out of it.

The "adult humour" is mild and would go over their heads, that's nothing to worry about. I think they might struggle with engaging properly with the second half. I have to say I thought second half was too long and went in circles.

I went with my 9 year old daughter and she absolutely loved the first half which is very clever, funny and enjoyable (and for me all the detail about the Barbie and Ken editions was fascinating). But then it gets too serious and there are long hectoring speeches about womanhood and equality. I could see my daughter losing interest and I actually felt quite annoyed. Those of us who are feminists know and agree all that - we don't need a lecture. And those who could really do with getting the message (non feminists and kids who've not had to think about it yet) will just switch off and think "oh god a boring lecture". It does all resolve, obviously but I think it misses a real opportunity to engage girls and boys about equality in a shorter, wittier and more accessible way. Shame.

I agree with the poster who said it was a bit WTF that Ken manages to turn Barbie Land into an incel's paradise in just one day. All the Barbies who we've been told are so clever and independent immediately start doing as they are told??? Then the Kendom/ battle of the Kens stuff goes on too long and gets quite circular. And Barbie's revelation/decision guided by Ruth is too vague and feels like a clumsy plot device to conclude the story - I thought that bit could have been sharper and simpler to make the points of "just be your authentic self" and "We won't get equality overnight but we can all make a difference".

Despite all that daughter says she loved it ...but most of the clips she's asked to watch on you tube have been from the first half, particularly the Dance the Night Away routine.

@PerspiringElizabeth poor use of phrasing with ‘young men’ what i mean is they will be men one day and so feel it’s never too early to introduce deeper ideas.

That said based on what others have said they would be bored.

Though i take exception with your assumption they’d annoy other people in the cinema, they are good kids and would respect others in the movies by being quiet even if they were bored #notallkids 🙃

It's not for kids at all, they would be very bored

I feel that the interpretations of the feminism in the film are quite reductive and it was far more subtle.

I agree with this. My children wouldn’t ‘annoy people’ in the cinema, because they know how to behave.

OP and really anyone who is looking for feminist interpretations of the film, I think it's problematic. The company who makes Barbie has apparently used 3rd world exploitative practises using mainly women. Women work in unsafe environments and are injured, sleep in dirty quarters, may experience sexual harassment and little maternity protection and work for a tiny wage. Barbie conforms to a particular kind of beauty, white and skinny. Any diversity is superficial and unrealistic. I doubt the film really tackles these issues. Not all men are stupid either, and the film overwhelmingly presents men in a bad light. People don't usually grow up well balanced if they are taught that the very essence of who they are is bad and wrong, and it's not a message we should be giving to boys. The band 'Aqua' 's original Barbie girl song was about the misogyny behind the doll, and is a better feminist take on Barbie than the film, I think.

@user9630721458 actually the film is almost entirely about tacking these issues 😂There is a speech from a teenage girl to barbie in the film which is almost word for word what you said.

@KingsHeath53 I take it back, if you are correct that they explain the 3rd world exploitation of women that goes into making the dolls!

My 9 year old DS loved it, but did have to ask me what a fascist was 😁 He gave it 10/10, we've also seen Elemental which he gave 5/10. He does have older siblings (teenagers) though, so is used to more grown up themes being discussed around him.

I definitely wouldn't have taken him age 6 as he wouldn't get it.