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Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie

Play trailer Poster for Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie 2018 1h 31m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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81% Tomatometer 16 Reviews 62% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Examining over 60 years of women through the lens of Barbie, the most popular plastic doll ever created. She's been a fashion icon and a target for feminists.
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Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie

Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie

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Critics Consensus

A thoughtful rumination on beauty standards and feminism, Tiny Shoulders goes beyond plastic observations to create an even-handed examination of Barbie's role in the broader culture.

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Critics Reviews

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Sophie Gilbert The Atlantic But the most fascinating aspect of the movie is how it uses Barbie as a metaphor for a culture that's still infinitely more preoccupied with what a woman looks like than what she says. May 1, 2018 Full Review John Anderson Wall Street Journal There's some lovely filmmaking-an opening sequence in which a handmade Barbie moves from stage to stage, from hair-weaving to lip-painting, is gorgeous. Apr 27, 2018 Full Review Kate Erbland indieWire Nevins does quick work of making her audience care about the earning potential of a multi-million dollar business by honing in on some other remarkable women. Rated: B+ Apr 27, 2018 Full Review Linda Cook OurQuadCities / WHBF-TV (Illinois) This is a thoughtful documentary on the phenomenon that is Barbie. Rated: 3 stars Jul 30, 2023 Full Review Alexandra MacAaron Women's Voices for Change Has a piece of plastic even been so politically charged? No, argues filmmaker Andrea Blaugrund Nevins in this interesting and entertaining documentary. Rated: 8/10 Jun 5, 2018 Full Review Brian Costello Common Sense Media Comprehensive docu about iconic, controversial doll. Rated: 4/5 May 15, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member A peek behind the pink curtain manages to capture just how difficult it is to be charged with being Barbie or, in this case, Barbie's guardian. Excellent documentary. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review geralt g This doc gave a really good look at how people fighting for change inside a for profit company sometimes get bashed coming and going. This was a glimpse into a microcosm that represents the bigger struggle women and girls face daily. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review pretty b Let's cut right to the chase, the reason why there Barbie dolls suck is because they're overthinking it. It's really obnoxious to see a bunch of women with no makeup complain about Barbie it's so ridiculous! Yet, they're working for Barbie and you know what the biggest problem is? The new dolls that were launched we're not Barbie. There's never heard the phrase leave good enough alone. It's because of all of these changes as to why Barbie keeps declining. You made her breasts flat and Tiny matter smaller and smaller and now nobody wants to play with her. Barbie started out as a men's doll, and men would hang it up in their car but it wasn't Barbie with a different brand and they just copied off of that doll. The former CEOs really knew what they were doing and this generation should really take the time to sit down and look at what they did for more realistic perspective. Barbie is in a feminist Barbie is in a white supremacist as they mentioned in the film, Barbie is simply a very pretty doll. And that's all after that is the imagination that comes Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review lucero k One of the best documentaries around Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member What could have been a very interesting story, was told in a dull manner with disconnected historical events. I was excited to see the doll's evolution, however, the film proved that impetus for change was not feminism, however, consumer criticism and falling revenues. Lacked a critical and engaging perspective into the thought process behind evolving barbie .. overall poorly told story Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Examining over 60 years of women through the lens of Barbie, the most popular plastic doll ever created. She's been a fashion icon and a target for feminists.
Director
Andrea Blaugrund Nevins
Producer
Andrea Blaugrund Nevins, Cristan Crocker-Reilly
Screenwriter
Andrea Blaugrund Nevins
Production Co
Hulu, Rare Bird Films
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 31m
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