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Home Alone

Starring: Macaulay Culkin
Director: Chris Columbus
Genre: Comedy
Year: 1990
Rating: 4 / 5

Macaulay Culkin was just another preteen actor when director Chris Columbus, at the request of writer John Hughes, cast him as child hero Kevin McCallister in the 1990 blockbuster Home Alone. Years later, after toiling in forgettable flicks such as The Good Son and Getting Even With Dad, Macaulay was out of show business entirely. That stark reality, less than five years after his major breakthrough, should in no way diminish the magical effort that is Home Alone. An impossibly cute Culkin, not yet ten during filming, stars as the forgotten child charged with defending his home against a pair of bumbling burglars. The film, a smash hit, went on to earn in excess of $250 million domestically and spawned two sequels, not to mention securing its star's financial future.

It's Christmas time, and the McCallisters are planning a trip to France to celebrate. With aunts, uncles, and cousins converging on the McCallister's stately abode, chaos reigns. After all, the family has to be at the airport early the next morning, and the clock is ticking. After getting in a skirmish with some of his cousins, young Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is banished to the attic for the evening. After a freak electrical storm knocks out power, the McCallisters awake - late - in a panic and scurry off to the airport. Tickets are in hand, luggage is loaded in the van, and the family will make the flight. One thing is missing, though - Kevin!

Awaking to find his family missing, Kevin can only assume one thing - he made his family disappear. Considering this to be the best Christmas gift ever, he decides to do all the things he has always wanted to do. He runs around the house, jumps all over the furniture, and roots through his older brother's belongings. Things could not be better, until, that is, a pair of neighborhood crooks (Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern) decide that their holiday dreams could best be fulfilled by robbing the McCallister home. Not one to go down without a fight, Kevin decides to do what any boy would do - defend his home. Using everything from ice to tar to a BB gun, Kevin is determined to enjoy a happy Christmas in his own home.

Writer John Hughes captures the imaginations of children and adults alike in Home Alone, offering a healthy dose of laughter while sprinkling in some warm, heartfelt moments. He and director Chris Columbus owe much of the film's success, however, to Macaulay Culkin, who holds the audience's attention throughout the film. His Kevin McCallister is cute, funny, and a joy to watch. Special mention should be made of the performances of Joe Pesci, taking a break from mob films, and Daniel Stern, known primarily for voice work on The Wonder Years. These two actors play their bumbling hoods with glee and just enough feigned menace to convey their intent. In the end, it is Macaulay Culkin who is left Home Alone, and the film is a true delight for it.

Cast:

Certification: Rated PG.
Running Time: 103 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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