It's hard to believe that it's been 23 years since the original HOME ALONE was released for Christmas. Of course when I think about taking my six year old daughter who now lives and works in NYC, the timeline becomes clearer.
One of John Hughes' biggest hits, HOME ALONE brought the world MacCauley Culkin in a starring role after smaller parts in "Uncle Buck" and "Jacob's Ladder".
Culkin is a lot of fun as 8 year old Kevin McCallister, mistakenly left at home by his parents and extended family as they head out to Paris in a big hurry thanks to a power outage and no alarm clocks.
As Kevin's parents Peter (John Heard) and Kate (Catherine O'Hara) frantically try to get back to the states, Kevin finds himself enjoying the run of the house and fending off two hapless burglars.
Our criminals are of the strictly harmless movie variety, played for big laughs by the always game Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. Stern puts every limb in danger with some pretty good pratfalls and girlish screaming throughout.
This is all good family fun (pretty violent fun but humorous nonetheless) and like most Hughes films of the 80's and 90's, has a nice message for the tidy wrap up.
Look for John Candy as Gus Polinksi and Roberts Blossom as Old Man Marley in two very good performances that bring respective laughs and drama to the story.
Fun, sweet and a holiday favorite, HOME ALONE drove a superior sequel several years later and remains a Christmas staple.
We'll give it a B. "Keep the change ya filthy animal!"
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