Home Alone (1990)
A modern Christmas classic starring Macaulay Culkin with a great musical score by legend John Williams.
Laura’s Rating: 4/5 Stars
Plot: When young Kevin’s family embarks on a Christmas trip to Paris and accidentally leaves him behind, he is initially thrilled with his newfound freedom. But soon, a couple of criminals threaten the safety of Kevin and his family’s home.
Opinion: This movie SO quintessentially 80s/90s in set design, costuming, etc. I think the nostalgia factor is definitely a bonus here (as is the case for a lot of Christmas movies).
Kevin’s family, especially in the beginning of the movie is absolutely vile and it makes sense that he would enjoy his freedom (at least temporarily). I do love that Kevin’s first day alone is filled with exactly what a child left alone to his own devices would do. Run around the house, go through his brother’s stuff, eat junk food, sled down the stairs.
Macaulay Culkin is pretty young in this movie and is often the only actor in a scene. I think he holds his own pretty well and it makes sense that his child acting career was so successful (although not very long). I could do without the repeated screaming bit as pictured on the poster, but other than that, Culkin is charming and funny.
The supporting cast is decent as well and of course, the burglars are great comic relief. Watching the Wet Bandits encounter all of Kevin’s traps shouldn’t be that funny, but I was laughing the whole time in spite of myself.
The scene in the church is my favorite and is actually so endearing. For being a pretty lighthearted comedy, there is some heart at the center of the film and the ending is appropriately warm and fuzzy for a Christmas movie. While not one of my personal classics that I have to watch every year, Home Alone is a cute movie to add into the holiday mix now and then.
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