Home Alone

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Slapstick family holiday comedy brings the pain.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know there's a tremendous amount of slapstick violence in this movie, some of which results in very painful-looking injuries. The main character inflicts serious pain on two would-be burglars -- he trips them down a flight of stairs, burns them, hits them with heavy objects, places sharp objects on the ground for them to step on, and so on. Kevin is also shown watching a violent '30s gangster flick that his parents forbid him from seeing.

  • None, unless you count giving kids ideas about how to set booby traps...
  • The film suggests that a child who's left alone can fend for him or herself without adult supervision. It also celebrates violence as a means of solving problems.
  • Although Kevin is brave and resourceful, he's also pretty vicious in his attacks on the bad guys. The fact that his parents leave him behind doesn't speak highly of their status as role models, and the two would-be burglars are clearly iffy examples.
  • Tons of slapstick violence. Characters fall down stairs, get hit with blunt objects, step on nails and glass, get burned, etc.
  • Kevin finds an old Playboy magazine but isn't very interested in it.
  • A few uses of words like "damn," "hell," and "ass," plus one use of "s--t."
  • Not applicable.
  • Very brief shots of minor characters (adults) drinking and smoking.

What's the story?

HOME ALONE is the story of 8-year-old Kevin (Macaulay Culkin), a mischievous middle child who feels largely ignored by his large extended family. While preparing for a Christmas vacation in Paris, Kevin gets in trouble, is banished to the attic overnight, and wishes his family would just disappear. Kevin gets his wish the next morning when his family mistakenly leaves him behind. At first, Kevin is elated -- but pretty soon he realizes that being home alone isn't all it's cracked up to be. He misses his mom (who employs any and every means of getting home to her son) and even his bully brother. With all the block's other families on vacation, too, Kevin has no one to turn to, including the cops, who assume he's up to his usual tricks. Meanwhile, a pair of bumbling burglars played by Joe Pesci (Goodfellas, Lethal Weapon 2-4) and Daniel Stern takes advantage of the situation by pillaging the neighborhood. It's up to Kevin to defend his home, using every prank in his well-stocked arsenal. A bevy of violent, slapstick, wince-inducing episodes ensue, resulting in Kevin successfully foiling the bad guys' plans.


Is it any good?

 

This movie's runaway success is due largely to its players, most notably Culkin. Previously cast in supporting roles in movies like Rocket Gibraltar and Uncle Buck, Culkin is the Home Alone's main attraction. Saddled with the difficult task of appearing in nearly every scene, he maintains a level of consistency that's a testament to both his talent and that of director Chris Columbus's (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Mrs. Doubtfire). Catherine O'Hara (Best in Show, SCTV) does a fine (albeit a tad shrill) job as Kevin's overwrought, guilt-ridden mom, and Pesci and Stern have great chemistry and handle the physical comedy with aplomb. Another performance of note is John Candy's cameo as Polka Band Shuttle Chief Gus Polanski. Although his role is brief, he nearly steals the show.

Home Alone is a good-natured, albeit unrealistic, family film that both kids and adults will enjoy. Its endearing story and a charming performance by Culkin make it a standout among the usual holiday movie fare. Without resorting to all-too-adult double entendres that dominate current family films, this one focuses more on slapstick humor and innocence to convey its story. That said, that reliance on slapstick humor does means that it's chock full of semi-realistic violence. It's not for the weak-stomached and definitely requires some major suspension of disbelief.


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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about whether or not they think slapstick violence is funny. Is it ever appropriate to laugh when someone gets hurt?

  • With younger kids, parents may also want to discuss the steps they should take in the event they ever do get left alone, especially if they sense they're in danger.

  • In the film, Kevin decides to take on the burglars himself and wins. Instead of attempting to foil them on his own, how could he have sought help?


This review was written by Marjorie Kase
Teen, 16 years old
October 17, 2010
 
overall pretty good
This is an okay movie good for older kids but definately not younger than seven.

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Kid, 9 years old
April 26, 2011
 
A good movie with some innapropriate language
This is my favorite movie it's so funny Violence: The booby traps are violent. Language: Ass hell and one use of s--t

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Teen, 14 years old
January 5, 2011
 
sooo cute!
Although lots of slapstick falls and trips, this is a family-friendly movie with lots of comedy!! Kevin is very resourceful and smart, but that's the only reason I marked role models. There might be some iffy content for anyone under 8.

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Adult
February 11, 2011
 
Rude content, bad language, but parts really funny....
Hard to reconcile my feelings with this one. My 5 year old laughed her head off. She felt empowered seeing a child outwit scary burglars. She was not scared. She laughed so hard throughout this movie. That said, the language was at times just rude and nasty (I wished I could have muted some), the family is so mean to Kevin (what a nasty uncle), there is so much anger and hate spewed and the naked lady magazine was just unnecessary. I wish when they made this movie they had thought about that stuff. It is very empowering for a child to see that a child can protect himself. Too bad it had to be delivered with so much rude content.

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Parent of 7 and 9 year old
March 14, 2010
 
A little off, but everything you could want in a movie.
Me and James have seen it once. That's it. It was funny, but maybe a bit inappropriatte for a 7-year-old. Still, a great movie, I recommend it!

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Adult
October 24, 2009
 
a funny cristmas classic
one of the best funny christmas movie ever made very funny anyone can watch its very funny

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Kid, 12 years old
January 23, 2011
 
The only funny parts were the traps that the kids set up at the end.

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Kid, 9 years old
December 26, 2010
 
this is the coolest movie ever!

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Teen, 15 years old
September 17, 2010
 
Funny for kids
Home Alone is kind of funny, but I don't love it as much as I used to. There is sole slapstick violence, but it's a bit realistic (although there is no blood). Kevin uses several household objects (doors, toys) in order to hit the criminals that break into his house. Some people use curse words like, "h*ll" and "d*mn". One thing that I think I should warn you is that Kevin gets away with doing mischevious/dangerous things.

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Teen, 14 years old
November 8, 2009
 
A GREAT FILM FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!!!!!!
This is one of my favorite holiday family films!!!!!!!! It's funny,amusing,and awsome!!!!! But the reason i say it's IFFY for age 8 is because there is strong language and over the top vilonce including a scene that show a man shout another man in FULL display.

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This review was written by Marjorie Kase
Topics:holidays, misfits and underdogs
Studio:Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Director:Chris Columbus
Cast:Daniel Stern, Joe Pesci, Macaulay Culkin
Genre:Family and Kids
Run time:103 minutes
Theatrical release date:November 10, 1990
DVD release date:October 5, 1999
MPAA rating:PG

This review was written by Marjorie Kase
 

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ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
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