Written by: Kevin Berge
All of this could have been avoided if Kevin wasn't such a little brat... or his family weren't all jerks. (Image Courtesy of: pennyroyalarts.org)
Quick Take: Home Alone may not be traditionally well acted or written, but it is so delightfully ridiculous that it rises above its foundations. There is an energy to this film that is like no other, carried by the unique performance of Macaulay Culkin.
***This review will contain complete spoilers for Home Alone. If you have not seen it and plan to, do not read past this point to avoid key spoilers.***
When you think of Christmas, what movies come to mind first? A Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34th Street, It's a Wonderful Life, and White Christmas are immediate ones, but there is a modern film that has carried that title impressively: Home Alone.
Home Alone has the joyful heart of a Christmas movie where a young boy must truly learn what matters during the holidays. It is only by accepting others and himself that he come to be a better person.
Kevin McAllister (Macaulay Culkin) wishes to be alone on Christmas, and he gets his wish as he is accidentally left behind when his family goes on a trip to Paris. Harry Lime (Joe Pesci) and Marv Merchants (Daniel Stern) decide to rob the block with only Kevin around to stop them before his mother Kate (Catherine O'Hara) can find a way back home.
What the set up does not originally promise is that Kevin has a monster of a creative mind. He has many different plans for how to trick and ultimately stop those trying to steal from his home. Those plans include clever tactics that would likely kill Harry and Marv in a non-family-friendly film.
Home Alone will forever be a classic for its unique action. The booby traps include burning, electrocution, paint cans, tar, ornaments, burning doorknobs, and a tarantula. With each, Harry and Marv are further brutalized and humiliated by the young prankster.
There is no other franchise where you can see Joe Pesci's head on fire and Daniel Stern electrocuted to death before coming back to life. This movie is such a wonderfully insane ride that most movies have tried and failed to meet it.
What truly sells this film is its main trio. In particular, Macaulay Culkin (My Girl) is such a powerfully charismatic performer that he carries the film. He is not a fantastic actor, but he is unique. His smart smile makes up for young actor line reading.
When you think of Christmas, what movies come to mind first? A Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34th Street, It's a Wonderful Life, and White Christmas are immediate ones, but there is a modern film that has carried that title impressively: Home Alone.
Home Alone has the joyful heart of a Christmas movie where a young boy must truly learn what matters during the holidays. It is only by accepting others and himself that he come to be a better person.
Kevin McAllister (Macaulay Culkin) wishes to be alone on Christmas, and he gets his wish as he is accidentally left behind when his family goes on a trip to Paris. Harry Lime (Joe Pesci) and Marv Merchants (Daniel Stern) decide to rob the block with only Kevin around to stop them before his mother Kate (Catherine O'Hara) can find a way back home.
What the set up does not originally promise is that Kevin has a monster of a creative mind. He has many different plans for how to trick and ultimately stop those trying to steal from his home. Those plans include clever tactics that would likely kill Harry and Marv in a non-family-friendly film.
Home Alone will forever be a classic for its unique action. The booby traps include burning, electrocution, paint cans, tar, ornaments, burning doorknobs, and a tarantula. With each, Harry and Marv are further brutalized and humiliated by the young prankster.
There is no other franchise where you can see Joe Pesci's head on fire and Daniel Stern electrocuted to death before coming back to life. This movie is such a wonderfully insane ride that most movies have tried and failed to meet it.
What truly sells this film is its main trio. In particular, Macaulay Culkin (My Girl) is such a powerfully charismatic performer that he carries the film. He is not a fantastic actor, but he is unique. His smart smile makes up for young actor line reading.
Harry and Marv are terrible, but Kevin repeatedly attempted murder. How did he get away unscathed? (Image Courtesy of: sudbury.com)
The way he enjoys every moment is infectious. He's certainly more comfortable with the ridiculous than the dramatic, but he never slouches. This is his movie in a way that only great actors typically get the lead.
His brand of chaotic energy is also carried by Joe Pesci (Goodfellas) and Daniel Stern (City Slickers). These two are wonderful together, playing the over-the-top comedy with pizzazz.
The story of this movie is mostly ridiculous, but the ultimate purpose of the film is purely Christmas. Once Kevin is left alone, he quickly finds that he is lonely. He can only enjoy himself so much without others to share his time with.
It does not help when robbers come around to threaten him and his home. It forces him to be brave and re-evaluate his bad behavior. In particular, he finally talks to Marley (Roberts Blossom), helping him to reunite with his family.
Marley saves him in response, helping Kevin out of an impossible situation. When his mother returns as well as the rest of his family, he can finally see why he cares about them and why he needs them.
The main issue with the film is simply its pacing. The film starts strong then teeters in and out until a great homestretch. Especially in the most dramatic moments, the screenplay of John Hughes (The Breakfast Club) stands out poorly.
Luckily, there's enough here that the slow and uneven moments do not distract from what is ultimately a classic. Home Alone will forever be a modern Christmas classic that is elevated by the energy of those involved from Macaulay Culkin to Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. It is fun, ridiculous, and truly unforgettable.
His brand of chaotic energy is also carried by Joe Pesci (Goodfellas) and Daniel Stern (City Slickers). These two are wonderful together, playing the over-the-top comedy with pizzazz.
The story of this movie is mostly ridiculous, but the ultimate purpose of the film is purely Christmas. Once Kevin is left alone, he quickly finds that he is lonely. He can only enjoy himself so much without others to share his time with.
It does not help when robbers come around to threaten him and his home. It forces him to be brave and re-evaluate his bad behavior. In particular, he finally talks to Marley (Roberts Blossom), helping him to reunite with his family.
Marley saves him in response, helping Kevin out of an impossible situation. When his mother returns as well as the rest of his family, he can finally see why he cares about them and why he needs them.
The main issue with the film is simply its pacing. The film starts strong then teeters in and out until a great homestretch. Especially in the most dramatic moments, the screenplay of John Hughes (The Breakfast Club) stands out poorly.
Luckily, there's enough here that the slow and uneven moments do not distract from what is ultimately a classic. Home Alone will forever be a modern Christmas classic that is elevated by the energy of those involved from Macaulay Culkin to Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. It is fun, ridiculous, and truly unforgettable.
Final verdict:
Three Defining Success
Three Defining Success
- The unique captivating presence of a young Macaulay Culkin.
- Few films have as many truly memorable action moments to the point that so many find inspiration from it.
- A ridiculous story that ultimately has a warm Christmas heart.
- This movie is uneven with many memorable moments but noticeable slow spots where the film's screenplay stands out in the weakest ways.
- Home Alone is the kind of movie that studios will forever try to imitate. The most egregious examples are the obvious sequels, particularly post-Macaulay Culkin. The franchise was never the same without him, and now there's a plan for a Disney+ reboot that at best will likely be fine.
