The Big Picture
- The Barbie movie directed by Greta Gerwig received great reviews, focusing on existentialism and individualism, with a touching message about womanhood.
- The impressive star-studded cast includes Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Issa Rae, Michael Cera, and more, but Allan steals the show with his unique charm.
- Allan, a short-lived doll introduced in 1964, raised eyebrows due to his close relationship with Ken, later revived in the 1990s as Midge’s partner.
In July of this year, we had a cinematic event like no other. Greta Gerwig‘s Barbie became an absolute hit amongst critics and moviegoers alike, not to mention its colossal box-office haul. It has become Warner Bros.’s highest-grossing release at the global box office, and the 14th film in history to surpass the $1.4 billion mark at the worldwide box office. It’s Barbie’s World and we’re just living in it. For those of you who have been waiting to enjoy Barbie from your own couch, you have waited kenough. Barbie releases on VOD today!
Barbie focuses on themes of existentialism as well as individualism, and it gives a pretty touching message about what it means to be a woman in this world. Another fun thing about this movie is that besides the main characters — Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling — it boasts an impressive, star-studded cast. We’ve got Issa Rae as President Barbie, Kate McKinnon as Weird Barbie, Simu Liu as Tourist Ken, and America Ferrera as Gloria, among many others. However, perhaps one of the most beloved and favorite characters here is Allan, played by none other than Michael Cera. In the film, the narrator, Helen Mirren, states that there is only one Allan, and it does spark some curiosity as to the reason behind it. Also, well, the actual Allan doll has a rather brief yet interesting history.
What Is the History of Allan the Doll?
Compared to most of the Barbies and Kens, there is little to say about the history of Allan because his life as a doll is pretty short-lived — but his story is just as interesting. Before Cera brought this little guy to life with his adorable performance, Allan was a mere doll with a colorful striped top and slicked hair. He was created and introduced back in 1964, and was meant to serve as Ken’s best friend as there hadn’t been one before — the thing about him is that he can fit into Ken’s clothes. This, of course, led to a lot of people questioning the type of closeness that Allan and Ken share. The introduction of Allan did raise some eyebrows, and just a few years after, this doll was discontinued.
Luckily, this was not the end of Allan’s eventful life, as he was revived in the 1990s. However, instead of his previous role as Ken’s best friend, he was re-introduced as Midge’s other half (who, in the film, is played by Emerald Fennell and also has a very interesting backstory). The couple was a package deal, and they were sold in a “Happy Family” collection later down the road. When the Midge doll got backlash because people didn’t seem to like seeing a pregnant Barbie doll, both she and Allan were kept on the down low — Midge was then discontinued because of her being pregnant. Allan can be seen throughout the years, and according to ET, he was a part of the 50th-anniversary special set in 2014. There are a lot of discontinued Barbie dolls worth noting, but Allan certainly is something else.
In ‘Barbie,’ There Are a Ton of Kens but Only One Allan
In Barbieland, it’s no surprise that there are tons of Barbies and Kens. However, in this bright, very pink world, there is only one Allan. Very quickly on, many flocked to this little fella because he is a unique, charming, and funny character who just wants to have fun and be a part of something. In this film, much like his life as a real doll, Allan does not have a lot of lines — but Cera makes sure to make the most of his scenes, and he executes them perfectly. There’s one point where he sneaks into the back of Barbie’s car, which is being driven by Gloria and her daughter Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt), trying to leave Barbieland because it’s slowly being dominated by the Kens. Of course, they do not go back to the real world and instead try to help the magical land. Allan is there when the Barbies are making a plan to revert things back to the way they were — no more mini-fridges with beers and watching The Godfather over and over again, things that Allan never really got into.
In the film, Allan barely interacts with Gosling’s Ken, despite the two of them being best friends as dolls. Allan is just there. He is just there with no other real purpose than to be a funny little guy who is uniquely charming and a friend to everyone. But that’s more than enough. After all, everybody loves Allan!
