Home Alone

Starring: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, Catherine O'Hara, Roberts Blossom, Angela Goethals, John Candy, Devin Ratray, Gerry Bamman, Kristin Minter, Kieran Culkin, Bill Erwin, Hope Davis
Directed by: Chris Columbus
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy
1990

Times Seen:
Tim: 5

Summary: An eight year-old boy (Macaulay Culkin) is accidentally left home alone when his family flies to Paris. He is forced to defend his home from two burglars (Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern).

Review:

Tim: Home Alone is one of the best movies ever. I'll just put that out there. Sure, I was about eight years-old when the movie was released, so I was able to identify with Kevin McCallister. It's more than that, though. John Hughes' script captures so much of what it's like to be that age, mixed in with some surprisingly emotional moments and a whole lot of wish fulfillment. Chris Columbus directs a brilliant movie that works on nearly every single level. This movie is a classic and it's one of my favorites.

The central issue with a movie like this is the disbelief that any family could leave their child home alone. This is clearly a thorny issue, but Hughes spends a ton of time in the script addressing those issues head-on. The explanations he gives aren't always the most logical, but I was shocked at the lengths he went to in order to address the audience's inevitable questions. The movie didn't need to do that (plenty of others ignore obvious questions about the plot), but it benefits greatly from that extra emphasis.

Also, sure, there's so many things Kevin could have done and that any real kid would probably do. You could call 911 (somewhere, someone's phones were working), go to a neighbor's house, or walk down to the police station. That would have prevented us from getting the classic Kevin vs. burglars scenes, which creates the film's most exciting moments. So, I was more than willing to suspend my disbelief as a kid (and again now, over 20+ years since the last time I watched the movie). The film is just so much fun.

The structure of the movie is brilliant, too. The set up in the beginning is hectic and raises your blood pressure (intentionally). It's a frantic start to the film that sets up the whole story. It's amazing how much Columbus packs into those first few minutes. That creates a beautiful contrast with the quiet solitude Kevin finds himself in after his family leaves. We get a bunch of scenes with Kevin doing things a confident, independent kid would do if he found himself home alone. These are all quite fun and funny. They give us the film's iconic image, of Kevin screaming with his hands on the sides of his face. The movie then gears up for its big climactic battle with the burglars.

Those scenes are the most memorable. They contrast effectively with the rest of the movie, which is mostly sweet and heartfelt. There's a surprising amount of violence that Kevin inflicts on the burglars, but it's just so fun to watch. Seeing a guy step on a nail always makes me cringe, but it's funny. Getting hit in the face with paint cans, stepping on glass ornaments, burning your hand- these are brutal acts, but they are filmed with a comedic view and it all feels okay watching Kevin inflict this harm, as he's defending his home. I could watch those scenes again and again.

The cast is tremendous. Macaulay Culkin deserves all the credit in the world. He gives perhaps the greatest child actor performance of all time. He seems wise beyond his years, yet naive in an endearing way. His comedic timing is impeccable. I read that he forgot to take his hands away from his face, so he inadvertently created the film's iconic image. He hasn't done a whole lot with his career in recent years, but it doesn't matter. This was his masterpiece, who cares if he achieved it early?

As good as Culkin is, he couldn't have carried the movie alone. Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern are brilliant as the burglars. I still sometimes laugh and forget that Pesci was in this role. He's such a tough guy actor, it's hilarious that he accepted this kid's movie. The crazy thing is how incredibly good he is in the role. He can be menacing, especially to a kid. He stops just short of being frightening to young viewers, but he adds a real element of danger to the movie. Pesci's performance was essential to this film and you have to give him great acclaim for what he does. He works brilliantly with Daniel Stern. Stern isn't as good an actor as Pesci, but he brings the dimness of this character to life beautifully. He's really funny in the role and contrasts well with Pesci's harder-edged antagonist. Seeing these two work together is just wonderful.

The rest of the supporting cast is great, too. John Heard and Catherine O'Hara don't have a ton of screen time, but they are so memorable as Kevin's parents. Roberts Blossom is the unsung hero of the film, at times being so frightening and at times being so warm and caring. John Candy's small role was incredible. I loved just hearing him improvise funny dialogue. It wouldn't seem like Candy's few scenes would make an impact, but they do. Devin Ratray was so memorable as Buzz. As a whole, the cast is just tremendous.

Home Alone truly is a great movie. It's one of my all-time favorite films. Chris Columbus directs a movie that is funny, but also has a great emotional depth. Kevin's arc is a powerful one and you marvel at his transformation from the beginning to the end. This is a classic and a truly incredible film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Home Alone 2: Lost in New York