Barbie: Your new relationship compatibility test

Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken in Warner Bros. Pictures' Barbie, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Image: Atsushi Nishijima

If the "Barbie" movie is proving a hit in theaters and on social networks, it's undoubtedly thanks to its feminist message. And on TikTok, users have been taking advantage of this to test their boyfriend's reaction and determine whether or not their relationship has a future. It's a new kind of compatibility test that has gone viral on the app.

On TikTok, the "Barbie Boyfriend Test" is a viral hit. Indeed, the theatrical release of Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" movie has given some women ideas. The objective is simple: go and watch the comedy movie with your boyfriend, and analyze his reactions at the end of the screening. According to users of the Chinese social network, this experience can quickly and easily determine the strength of the relationship and, above all, its prospects for future success. While there's no hashtag dedicated to this phenomenon, a simple search for "Barbie Boyfriend Test" brings up numerous videos on this theme.

These include one video by the TikTok user Rose, which has gone viral on the app: "I genuinely think taking your BF to see 'Barbie' should be your relationship test to decide if he's a good potential long-term partner. How does he react when you tell him you want to go with him? What are his thoughts on why certain things are happening in the movie? How does he feel about Allan? What are his thoughts on the montage at the end? What are his feelings on the way Ken was portrayed? Is he interested in having an intellectual conversation about the message afterwards? I think these are all very important things that will give you a crystal clear image of what his character is. If you're testing your relationship, take him to see 'Barbie.' If you're going on a first date, take him to see 'Barbie.' All men should see 'Barbie,'" said Rose in a video that has been viewed 4.2 million times on TikTok. Under her video, many women shared their own personal experiences. Some had a positive experience: "My BF asked me to watch the movie with him. He laughed when I did, he held my hand when I cried ... Love him," said one TikTok user called Sarah. Others had a different experience: "He was not interested in it, even though I went to see 'Oppenheimer 'with him. It hurt so much to know he's not interested in how I experience the world," wrote @natoo_sakii. And the verdict is a resounding "dump him," as one user replied, an opinion supported by various others.

Also read: With 'Barbie', Greta Gerwig scores the biggest opening weekend for a female director in Hollywood

Female viewers have largely praised the satirical film—with its five-star cast including Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Simu Liu and America Ferrera—for its feminist message and its critique of the patriarchy. And for the women using it to test their relationship, two scenarios are possible: if a man hates or criticizes the "Barbie" movie, or female directors in general, or doesn't grasp the film's message, then the relationship is doomed to failure. On the other hand, if a man himself suggests going to see the movie, enjoys it without necessarily getting it all, or even adores it, and decides to wear pink clothes for the occasion, then the relationship has a good chance of succeeding.

While the theory may sound somewhat light-hearted and over-simplistic, many female TikTok users have drawn on these kinds of criteria as a means to ask for relationship advice. Some, however, have voiced concerns and criticisms: "The obsession over girls' partners and this movie is insane, it's not as deep as you've been made to think lol," commented Tabitmorris under Rose's video. The comment has almost 30,000 'likes.'

On the other hand, some men have shared their concerns, this time about their partners not liking the film: "My wife didn't like the 'Barbie' movie, what should I do?" wrote juancarlosjuniorl in the comments on a video posted by @user486025741. As the "Barbie" movie continues to be a box-office hit, the conversation is far from over on social media...