“Home Alone” is the improbable and hilarious story of an eight-year-old boy left at home in a Chicago suburb when his parents and siblings travel to Paris for Christmas. Kevin McCallister has loads of fun by himself, until he realizes that a pair of burglars are trying to break into his home. He then sets a series of booby traps to foil them. The comedy and hilarity proceed from there. Producer-screenwriter John Hughes and director Chris Columbus masterfully craft this film into one of the classic comedies all of time, with tons of laughs, slapstick comedy, clean family fun, and outstanding production values.
The cast is headed by Macaulay Culkin in the lead role, perfect as Kevin, innocent and mischievous at the same time. The two burglars, known as the Wet Bandits, are expertly played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. Pesci especially demonstrates a wide acting range, appearing as vicious Mafia henchman Tommy DeVito in “Goodfellas” the same year as this “Home Alone” comedic role.
Co-stars include John Heard and Catherine O’Hara as Kevin’s parents, John Candy as Gus Polinski, the Polka King of the Midwest, Roberts Blossom, Angela Goethals, Devin Ratray, Gerry Bamman, Hillary Wolf, Larry Hankin, Michael C. Maronna, Kristen Minter, Kieran Culkin, Senta Moses, Anna Slotky, Matt Doherty, Ralph Footy, Bill Erwin, Gerry Becker, Alan Wilder, Hope Davis, and Billie Bird, a veteran actress in one of her last roles in a career that began in 1950 in an uncredited role in “Dallas” starring Gary Cooper and Ruth Roman.
“Home Alone” was nominated for two Academy Awards, for Best Original Score (John Williams) and Best Original Song (“Somewhere in My Memory” John Williams and Leslie Bricusse). The movie was a big hit in theatrical release for producer John Hughes, Hughes Entertainment, and 20th Century Fox. It spawned a number of sequels: “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” (1992), “Home Alone 3” (1997), “Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House” (2002), “Home Alone: The Holiday Heist” (2012), and “Home Sweet Home Alone” (2021).
Home Alone (1990)
cinema
My Review
“Home Alone” is the improbable and hilarious story of an eight-year-old boy left at home in a Chicago suburb when his parents and siblings travel to Paris for Christmas. Kevin McCallister has loads of fun by himself, until he realizes that a pair of burglars are trying to break into his home. He then sets a series of booby traps to foil them. The comedy and hilarity proceed from there. Producer-screenwriter John Hughes and director Chris Columbus masterfully craft this film into one of the classic comedies all of time, with tons of laughs, slapstick comedy, clean family fun, and outstanding production values.
The cast is headed by Macaulay Culkin in the lead role, perfect as Kevin, innocent and mischievous at the same time. The two burglars, known as the Wet Bandits, are expertly played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. Pesci especially demonstrates a wide acting range, appearing as vicious Mafia henchman Tommy DeVito in “Goodfellas” the same year as this “Home Alone” comedic role.
Co-stars include John Heard and Catherine O’Hara as Kevin’s parents, John Candy as Gus Polinski, the Polka King of the Midwest, Roberts Blossom, Angela Goethals, Devin Ratray, Gerry Bamman, Hillary Wolf, Larry Hankin, Michael C. Maronna, Kristen Minter, Kieran Culkin, Senta Moses, Anna Slotky, Matt Doherty, Ralph Footy, Bill Erwin, Gerry Becker, Alan Wilder, Hope Davis, and Billie Bird, a veteran actress in one of her last roles in a career that began in 1950 in an uncredited role in “Dallas” starring Gary Cooper and Ruth Roman.
“Home Alone” was nominated for two Academy Awards, for Best Original Score (John Williams) and Best Original Song (“Somewhere in My Memory” John Williams and Leslie Bricusse). The movie was a big hit in theatrical release for producer John Hughes, Hughes Entertainment, and 20th Century Fox. It spawned a number of sequels: “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” (1992), “Home Alone 3” (1997), “Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House” (2002), “Home Alone: The Holiday Heist” (2012), and “Home Sweet Home Alone” (2021).