Christmas isn’t complete without a few traditions and Home Alone has been one of those traditions for as long as I can remember. I can recall seeing this in theaters as a kid and I remember making my mom take me to see it twice within a week. It wasn’t like it was a chore for her since she also got wrapped up in the slapstick comedy and its sense of Christmas spirit. It’s one of those rare family films that actually entertains the whole family. It wasn’t just made for kids but also adults who could vividly recall the innocence of childhood. It’s a movie I watch every year on Christmas Day and every year I find more to love about it. Despite the plot being a bit far fetched when picked apart for realism, the film has charm and heart to spare. That’s the magic of Home Alone and why it continues to remain a true classic for the holiday season.
Eight-year-old Kevin McCallister is the misunderstood kid in all of us. He has a big personality but his family and extended relatives who are in town for Christmas, take up a room with theirs. It’s complete chaos in the McCallister home the day before they are set to take off to Paris for a Christmas vacation and Kevin is a bit lost in the shuffle. I mean if Buzz hadn’t devoured the last of the plain cheese pizza maybe things would’ve taken a different turn? It’s after this act of family betrayal that Kevin wishes his family would disappear and Kevin, to his surprise, actually gets his wish.
His family doesn’t technically disappear. Heavy winds in the middle of the night knock out power lines and the clocks are reset. Due to this little mishap, the family oversleeps and during the chaos of trying to get to the airport on time (and a headcount error that isn’t just a plot device but could realistically happen) the family leaves Kevin home alone, a fact they don’t realize until long after take off. The film could probably sustain a few laughs with Kevin merely being left to his own devices but a duo of burglars are thrown into the mix and Kevin, being the man of the house, has to defend his domain.
Home Alone’s biggest asset is Macaulay Culkin in the role of Kevin McCallister. This was a kid who was a natural in front of the camera and while he might’ve lacked technical skills as an actor, he makes up for it with a ton of likability and charm. He’s supported by some gifted comedians but this is his movie and he carries it admirably. It’s a tall order to carry a comedy, especially for someone at his age at the time but he’s up to the task. It would be easy to make Kevin a brat (in fact some of the opening scenes nearly pushes him into that territory) but he’s actually given a bit a depth. He simply has a lot to say and is a part of a family, who have even more things to say. This aspect of the film, I believe, is often overlooked but the family dynamic and Kevin’s role in it adds a sense of realism to the film.
Comedy is at the heart of Home Alone and even though the film is mostly remembered for the laugh out loud moments that dominate the climax, the film actually has a balance of humor that really works. I’m a huge fan of the hustle and bustle of the opening scenes inside the house that take place before the family frantically races to the airport. When I was younger, my extended relatives would make our house their home before the holidays so I can definitely relate to the chaos of having all those personalities in one place. In fact, I even had a relative that was known for wetting the bed but his drink of choice was Hawaiian Punch and not Pepsi. I also think we all had an Uncle Frank in the family or know someone who did so this character has always rung true for me as a comedic highlight.
Slapstick comedy dominates the climax and it still generates huge laughs all these years later. It’s interesting that some critics, unfairly criticized the film for its depiction of violence but it’s honestly no more harmful than a sequence from The Three Stooges. Most of it is so over the top that it shouldn’t be taken all that seriously. The most realistic pain depicted is a nail through the foot (still gives me chills) and some tarantula placement that leads to one of the most epic movie screams of all time. The rest of the violence is of the cartoon variety and it’s treated as such.
Other than Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern have the most significant roles as our duo of bumbling robbers. The casting of Pesci is pure genius and even more of a perfect cinematic moment since this film came out about two months after Goodfellas, which is about as opposite from Home Alone as you can get. You can tell he’s having fun in the role and he plays with Daniel Stern very well. Stern plays the comedy a bit more than Pesci but together they are a great team and prove to be great foils for Culkin and his antics.
Home Alone possesses a lot of heart and that has to be contributed to writer John Hughes and director Chris Columbus. There has to be more here than outrageous comedy or the film wouldn’t continue to entertain people who see it year after year. The film has fun with the idea of being a child and having the house to yourself but it’s also realistic in its potential fear of the situation as well. Kevin is all about the idea at first but eventually he realizes he misses his family and how much he loves them. There is a sense of calm after the robbers are taken into custody because once the chaos is over, Kevin is still alone and you get the real feeling that he senses that. It’s a small moment but I’ve always been fond of the moments leading to the end of the film when Kevin awakes on Christmas Day and thinks his family is home, but they’re not. He then hears his mom call for him and at first there is this reluctance, but eventually he runs into her arms. It’s such an honest moment among family and this is also why the film works.
The best thing about Christmas films is authenticity and Home Alone feels distinctly like a Christmas movie. The look of the film stands out and John Williams’ score is another aspect that adds to the Christmas spirit. I dare you to listen to “Somewhere In My Memory” and not get all the Christmas feels.
I’m 32 years old as of less than a week ago and I will continue to watch this film every year on Christmas until I’m old and gray. Some movies transcend the era they were made and become true beacons of nostalgia. Home Alone is that movie and it will continue to be so for years to come.
Reel Talk gives Home Alone 3.5 Reels
