Parents' Guide to

Barbie in the Pink Shoes

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

Barbie teaches kids about classic ballets; some romance.

Movie NR 2013 75 minutes
Barbie in the Pink Shoes Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 5+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Abba9634
Abba9634 Parent of 5-year-old
April 11, 2019
age 6+

Mistake

Yuck! I had to stop it in the middle of the movie because the cattiness and inappropriateness for my 4 year old. I dont even know if id let her watch it when shes 8. Not good role models and the boys fighting over the girl even talked about the girls age. So inappropriate!
1 person found this helpful.
YogaMommy
YogaMommy Parent of 5-year-old
September 7, 2013
age 6+

Barbie is still a poor role model for young girls

My 5 year old begged me to rent this for her, since she loves both ballet and the color pink. I regretted it for a couple of reasons. I checked "language" because of the taunting, sarcastic tone used by Kristen's peers - something my daughter has not been exposed to yet (she was in preschool at the time). We did use it as an opportunity to talk about speaking to each other respectfully and kindly. Still, I wasn't ready to expose her to the high school mean girls! My other issue with Barbie is that, underneath a shallow "follow your dreams" moral, there seems to be an underlying message that, if you are graceful and pretty, everything will work out for you in the end. Barbie (or in this case, Kristen) still disappoints with her unattainable body type and lack of genuine depth.

This title has:

Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
1 person found this helpful.
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What's the Story?

BARBIE IN THE PINK SHOES follows the story of Kristyn (voiced by Kelly Sheridan), a bubbly young ballerina preparing to rehearse her dance in her ballet school's showcase. During her rehearsal, she gets "lost in the music" and starts doing her own choreography, which her instructor Madame Natasha (Tabitha St. Germaine) demands that she stop doing. Needing new ballet slippers, Kristyn and her best friend, seamstress Hailey (Katie Crown) visit the costume mistress, Madame Katerina (Lori Triolo), who offers Kristyn a special pair of fuchsia pink shoes. As she tries them on and starts to do a few steps from the legendary ballet Giselle, Kristyn and Hailey are transported to a different the world -- the stories of the ballet.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (7):

Although it's hard to escape the marketing strategy that drives all these Barbie movies, this installment in the franchise at the very least teaches young viewers about some famous ballets. Kristyn and Hailey, who are stuck in the world of Giselle, Swan Lake, and The Snow Queen, reveal plot details and characters from each of the classic dances. There's even a cameo from the Nutcracker and the Sugar Plum Fairy -- two characters kids are likely to recognize.

The filmmakers smartly gloss over the more disturbing details of the folktale based ballets (which tend to include heartache and death) and focus on Kristyn's heroic commitment to helping the fictional ballet characters she encounters. When she finally fulfills her mission in the ballet story world, she is self confident enough to face Madame Natasha (who is also the Snow Queen) and dance from the heart -- not just to the choreographed steps.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the stories within the story. Does the movie make you want to learn more about or go see the ballet?

  • Kids: Do you like watching stories with romance and marriage proposals? How do these stories make you feel?

  • Discuss how to separate the movie from the products it's promoting. We've got tips on how to manage product placements and advertising in pop culture. How do you feel about a ballet-based story advertising through fast-food kids' meals?

Movie Details

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