The movie that made Macaulay Culkin a star when he was just ten years old, Home Alone also became the most successful comedy of all time (earning over $500 million worldwide). He stars as eight-year-old Kevin, whose parents accidentally leave him behind when they head off with his siblings for a Christmas trip to France. His initial joy at having the house to himself is short-lived, however, as two inept burglars (Stern and Pesci) turn up and Kevin has to resort to extreme cartoonish measures to keep them at bay.
One of those movies you’ll love or hate depending on whether Culkin’s character grates on you or not and whether you think the cartoon violence borders on the sadistic, this certainly does move with a rambunctious speed that kids will love, while Kevin’s various tricks against the bad guys will have them cheering along.
A missable sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, followed in 1992 (this time when Kevin is separated from his family – who should clearly be reported to the NSPCC – he’s let loose in Manhattan and runs into Pesci and Stern’s burglars again), while Home Alone 3 was made in 1997 with annoying tyke Alex D Linz playing a new kid taking on some spies. (There was also a dire TV movie, Home Alone 4, with a new actor playing Kevin.)
Is Home Alone suitable for kids? Here are our parents’ notes...
The inept burglars are in more danger from Kevin than he from them, so his predicament never feels very frightening.
If you like this, why not try: