338. Home Alone; movie review

 

 

HOME ALONE

Cert PG

103 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate slapstick violence and infrequent moderate language

Home Alone or It's A Wonderful Life?

Depending on my mood, I am likely to alight upon either at this time of year.

The latter is my favourite film of all time but this year, because it was re-released in 2021, I plumped for the Chris Columbus classic.

And having watched his Harry Potter And The Philospher's Stone only a week previously, I was intrigued by a few similarities.

I am probably slow at the party to recognise the connection in some of the phrasing in the musical scores of the two films.

And I am possibly seeing too deeply when I see elements of the dust-up between Potter and Quirrell repeated in the face-off between Kevin (Maccauley Culkin) and the two intruders (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern).

If I pushed the boat out even further I can see a bit of Hagrid in John Candy's polka king and even Mrs Weasley in Catherine O'Hara's portrayal of Kevin's mum.

But what about the mystery chap next door (Roberts Blossom) having echoes of Severus Snape?

Anyway, even 31 years after release, Home Alone can elicit a laugh and Kevin can charm audiences.

He plays a brilliant foil to the slapstick comedy of Pesci and Stern and is also impish in his visits to shops for supplies.

Columbus draws the very best out of a child actor as he did with the Harry Potter cast a decade or so later.

No more need be said. Everyone knows Home Alone and many will have soaked it up yet again this Christmas.

It's a cracker!

Reasons to watch: We are thirsty for more

Reasons to avoid: May be a little too wacky for some

Laughs: One now but many more on first viewings

Jumps: None but would have been first time

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 10/10

Did you know? Located at 671 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois, the kitchen, main staircase, and ground-floor landing seen in the film were all shot in a real five-bedroom residence. (The dining room and all other first-floor rooms, with the exception of the kitchen, were shot on a soundstage.) In 2012, John and Cynthia Abendshien, who owned the home when it was used as one of the film’s locations, sold the property for $1.585 million.

The final word. Macauley Culkin: "It’s background radiation at Christmastime. I’ve had people who want to sit down and watch it with me, which is both flattering and creepy." Vanity Fair

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