Home Alone (1990)
Director: Chris Columbus
Starring: Macaulay Caulkin, Joe Pesci, Catherine O’Hara, Daniel Stern
Primary genre: Christmas
Secondary genre: Comedy
Nominated for: Best original score, original song
The biggest surprise of 1990 (along with Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves) was John Hughes’ Home Alone, a box office sensation considered by many the ultimate Christmas movie. Unlike its competitors during its release, Home Alone did not feature attractive special effects, exaggerated production values or movie stars.
Its central idea is quite an appealing one for all of the Millennial and Gen X kids; what if one day, you woke up and you had the whole house for yourself, especially during Christmas? So Kevin does what any normal kid would do; from consuming too much candy and ice-cream to VHSing violent movies. It’s all great until a duo of thieves (Pesci and Stern having a blast) comes to rob the place so it’s up to the “man of the house” as Kevin puts it to defend it.
Amidst its several iconic slapstick scenes (which in a different genre would have cause audiences to flee) that see irons falling on people’s head, flamethrowers, sticky staircases and a tarantula, Hughes’ script manages to discuss in a nuanced way the importance of family. Its dysfunctional (most of the time) relationships are a natural part of growing up and the tale of "be careful what you wish for" comes knocking and the wonderfully decorated house is devoid of any signs of life. Meanwhile two subplots involving a sinister-looking hermit and Kevin’s family trying to return home actually add further layers to a story that could have been used for comedy relief and cheap gags. Hughes takes this opportunity to characterize Kevin as a sympathetic and relatable protagonist, especially his encounter in the film’s best scene with the aforementioned hermit.
“This is my house, I have to defend it!”
Most kid-friendly motion pictures fail due to a lack of good acting, but the unknown Macaulay Culkin is a revelation, a naturally gifted actor who lifts the entire film up on his shoulders and finding the right balance between mischief, innocence and sweetness. While Kevin does come across as entitled (as any child would in an upper-middle-class with their mommy always behind them for support), he is not annoying. Hughes gives him a nice arc about learning to rely on himself that comes in handy both for defending his home and for keeping it clean (relatively).
Yet, Home Alone would not have enjoyed its massive success if it was not for composer John Williams and production designer John Muto. Williams’ top-tier score fused Christmas bells in his traditional orchestrations to craft an utterly memorable theme and a fantastic song (Somewhere in my Memory) both rightfully nominated in the respective Oscars categories a year later. Meanwhile Muto’s festive production design made the McCallister home the de facto residential setting for celebrating Christmas complemented by a cozy attic, a tree house and a massive basement.
So why does Home Alone stand the test of time? Shot and written during an era that saw movies aiming to entertain audiences, Home Alone does not indulge too much in the kiddy stuff (e.g., slapstick) but opts to create a Christmas coming-of-age story culminating in one of the most heartwarming finales in cinema’s history achieving a timeless status.
The ultimate Christmas movie
+Macaulay Culkin as Kevin
+John Williams’ score
+Lean storytelling
+Heartwarming finale
+Production design
+Excellent character work