This article contains spoilers forBarbie(2023).Greta Gerwig’sBarbiehas been a phenomenal success, and rightfully so. Following its release, Barbie has been smashing Box Office records,earning $356 millionin its opening weekend alone. The movie’s incredible reception has meant that it received the biggest debut ever for a film directed by a woman. Gerwig’s latest creation is an emotional story about womanhood – one which tackles hugely significant issues as Barbie (Margot Robbie) unexpectedly embarks upon a path of existentialism. WhilstBarbiefocuses on some iconic Mattel characters, such as ‘stereotypical Barbie’ and Ken (Ryan Gosling), the movie also includes some unfamiliar faces along the way.
Among these unfamiliar faces is Allan (Michael Cera). Despite often being overlooked in Barbie Land, Allan has quickly become a fan-favorite character – one who plays a significant role throughout the movie. Although he isn’t as recognizable asBarbie or Ken, Allan actually has a deep-rooted history with Mattel – but who actually is Allan, and why is he so important in the movie?
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Who is Allan?
Released by Mattel in 1964, Allan’s moment in the spotlight was incredibly short-lived. He was originally dubbed as ‘Ken’s buddy’, and marketed alongside the appeal that he could fit in all of Ken’s clothes. Sadly, Allan failed to achieve the same level of popularity as Ken and was discontinued in 1966.
However, this wasn’t the end of the line for Allan. In the 1990s, Allan was re-released by Mattel, but this time, he was marketed as Midge’s husband and the father of her unborn baby. Sadly, a pregnant Barbie was deemed too controversial, resulting in Midge being pulled from the shelves by 2002. After Midge was discontinued, Allan faded into oblivion – untilGreta Gerwigdecided to revive the forgotten doll.
Why was Allan in the Barbie movie?
Unlike the multitude of Barbies and Kens in Barbie Land, no variants of Allan exist. As Allan’s promotional poster reveals, ‘there’s only one Allan’. AsBarbie’snarrator (Helen Mirren) humorously reveals: “There are no multiples of Allan.He’s just Allan”.
Allan is representative ofMattel’s discontinued creations. Throughout theBarbiemovie, these controversial dolls repeatedly pop up, including Sugar Daddy Ken, Growing Up Skipper, and of course, Midge. Much to the delight of fans, Tanner the Dog also made a brief appearance. Famously known as Barbie’s pooping dog, Tanner the Dog was discontinued after three years on the basis that the toy’s poop pellets were a choking hazard for children. Placed among these characters, Allan reminds audiences of Mattel’s humorous and often ill-thought-out products from the past. As a result, these creations don’t really fit in at Barbie Land, often appearing out of place. However, Allan also has a much deeper role within the movie.
Why was Allan such an important character?
Throughout the movie, Allan exists as a misfit in Barbie Land. For example, inBarbie’sopening, whilst the Barbies and Kens are performing their perfectly choreographed routine, Allan is simply doing his own thing.
Following Ken’s misogynistic takeover ofBarbie Land, Allan was desperate to leave. He wasn’t comfortable in Ken’s hypermasculine Mojo Dojo Casa House and refused to comply with Ken’s newly discovered misogynistic ideals – unlike the other Kens. Instead, Allan actively separated himself from this, refusing to feed into the patriarchy. Working alongside Gloria (America Ferrera), Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt), and the Barbies, Allan was determined to crush Ken’spatriarchal reinvention of Barbie Land. In an iconic scene, Allan single-handedly fought against Kendom’s construction crew, proving himself to be one of the strongest characters in the entire movie.
Although there is only one Allan, he does not shy away from fighting against toxic masculinity. By refusing to take a passive role in Kendom, Allan represents the men who aren’t afraid to call out other men’s misogynistic behavior and stand up for women. Despite being outnumbered by the Kens, Allan possesses a crucial role within the movie – a powerful message from Greta Gerwig.
Allan doesn’t fit in with the swarm of Barbies and Kens. Because of this, some viewers are praising Gerwig for her presentation of aqueer-coded character. Ultimately, Allan is an unsung hero within the movie – one who is representative of a significant message. In a world of Kens, be an Allan.
