There are some moments in a movie that really work and hit for fans. With Barbie, it was Gloria’s (America Ferrera) speech about how hard it was being a woman. Superman is having a similar effect.
James Gunn’s Superman has warmed the hearts of audiences across the country. David Corenswet’s “oh golly gee” approach to Clark Kent is endearing and the entire film does a really great job of making us all believe in hope once again. But there is one moment in particular that is hitting home in a similar way to Gloria’s speech about how difficult it is to be a woman.
When Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) continues attack Clark for being an “alien” who doesn’t belong. But to Clark, he isn’t an alien who is foreign to Earth. This is his home and he is as human as anyone else and he tells Lex as much in a beautifully crafted speech.
“I’m as human as anyone. I love, I get scared. I wake up every morning and despite not knowing what to do, I put one foot in front of the other and I try to make the best choices I can. I screw up all the time, but that is being human. And that’s my greatest strength,” Superman says as Lex’s plan is failing around him.
Hearing Clark say that he’s as human as the rest of us is moving because it reminds us that even Superman has days where he isn’t the best he can be and that’s okay. That’s part of what makes him a character we can root for. He has the power of a god and yet he still is just a boy from Kansas at the end of the day.
We all should have our Barbie moment
Part of what makes James Gunn such a great filmmaker is that he will make everyone have an emotional reaction to the story he’s telling. Just ask a man about Yondu’s death in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. With Superman, Clark’s declaration that he’s just as human as the rest of us was, in its own way, the same emotional chord that Gloria’s speech played because it was relating to the darker parts of our humanity.
We are not perfect people. Everyone makes mistakes, dolls that have escaped from Barbie Land and aliens sent to Earth who have powers thanks to our sun. No one is perfect and I love that Superman has that same kind of feel for audiences.
It is funny to me that the comparison for Superman is Barbie but I also do think the relation runs deeper. Often, Superman as a character is seen as a “boys” thing but so many women have loved the Man of Steel throughout their lives. So much like Barbie, getting to see their version of Superman is important and it all does weirdly tie together beautifully.
But the speech from Clark does feel like watching Gloria talk about how hard being a woman is and that’s beautiful.
(featured image: Warner Bros.)
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