@latesummersolstice AS A MATTER OF FACT—
anneliese and julian is absolute PEAK best friends to lovers, and just like with erika and dominick, their dynamic was absolutely vital to the plot. julian knew anneliese hadn’t run away because he just knows how she scents her letters. he supports her interests (they share interests, in fact!). in the beginning of the movie when he saw how sad she was feeling he tried to cheer her up with a trip to the village. those few lines in to be a princess where julian just goes on a little tangent about anneliese?? this boy YEARNS.
vice versa, in spite of being of a higher standing than him, anneliese never talks down to julian. she’s a little sheltered and makes mistakes, like when she asked where his house was, and julian (very kindly! because he knows she’s not being purposefully ignorant!) explains they couldn’t afford a house. and anneliese apologizes immediately! there is just so much mutual love and respect going on between these two that is just blows my mind. 90% of movie pairings could NEVER. anneliese is perfectly prepared to go against her mother’s (whom she respects very much!) wishes, and centuries of tradition to marry this man, because she just loves him so much.
which leads me to what really cements this pairing for me: julian’s actions after anneliese was kidnapped. obviously his first concern was to find her, but there was a more pressing matter: the marriage was about to be canceled. now I need you to understand that this man is absolutely head over heels for the princess. would probably want nothing more than to spend his life with her. but now that her arranged marriage is about to be canceled, does he rejoice? no! he goes to lengths to make sure it stays on. he puts his own wishes completely aside, not just because it’s what’s best for the kingdom, but because it’s anneliese’s decision to get married to dominick. she doesn’t want to, but she’s nothing if not dutiful, so it’s what she does. and!! julian!! respects!! that!! decision!! so he does what he can to keep the marriage in place. and if that isn’t peak selflessness, respect and love, I don’t know what is.
I could go on and on about the quality of the pairings in this movie honestly. a favorite little visual motif of mine symbolizing them, is the roses! in the village, julian picks the singular pink rose among a series of blue ones (”my favorite! but… you knew that”). during if you love me for me, dominick picks the singular blue rose from a bush of pink ones for erika. symbolizing that both these men love the girls for who they truly are.
in conclusion, both erika/dominick and anneliese/julian are absolutely top tier pairings, definitely in rank to be the best in the barbie cinematic universe, and better than a significant number of relationships portrayed in fiction, for many reasons, but not insignificantly because the movie clearly establishes that both partners respect each other deeply and love them for who they really are.
dailybridgerton
areudirty
amandla
