Recently, I have watched one of the most famous American movies produced by John Hughesâ Home Alone. It is indeed an excellent family comedy because it evokes all sorts of nostalgia. Mainly, it reminded me of the childhood times when my parents would leave me alone, and I could do anything I wanted. Yet, I had mixed emotions being on my own in the empty apartment â I could sense weird noises coming from the middle of nowhere, or it was simply my imagination getting on my nerves. As far as the audience is concerned, Home Alone is a traditional Christmas comedy; yet, I assume one can watch it any time of year just to make a day better and recall Christmas family evenings.
The main character is a young boy named Kevin who is featured by Macaulay Culkin. The guy is celebrating Christmas with his family, which enlarges since all the relatives gather for this winter holiday. Kevin dislikes being surrounded by numerous kids who constantly tease him and dreams that his family would disappear one day (Hughes). When his dream comes true, and he finds himself in the empty apartment, Kevin starts doing every little thing his parent would forbid: he eats ice cream for breakfast, plays video games, and watches violent films. While he is enjoying his loneliness, Kevinâs parents realize they accidentally left their child at home before flying to Paris for a Christmas trip (Hughes). Yet, Kevin demonstrates himself as a young but increasingly responsible housekeeper and even protects his home from burglars.
To my mind, the actors chosen to perform each character have done a perfect job since they have managed to transmit their feelings, intentions, and emotions to the audience. Despite the fact that the film is primarily associated with Macaulay Culkin, the rest of the actors have contributed significantly to the movieâs atmosphere. Joe Pecsi deserves special attention since his acting was stunning and witty. What makes the film unique is the characterâs personal traits â they are all different, at times, contradictory, but they make up a real movie family. In general, the actors performed at a high level, which made the film increasingly believable and indeed brought it to life.
Not solely the plot and acting make the movie atmospheric, but the scriptwriters, camera operators, and composer just did a fantastic job to entertain the audience. I believe the scenario was well-elaborated because, despite numerous events, there was no confusion between the scenes and the heroes. Moreover, the dialogues are just witty and hilarious; it almost felt like a comedy show even in the appalling moments. The filmmakers ingeniously used camera angles to set the tone in the film. For instance, a spectator could observe adult characters from Kevinâs perspective and vice versa. Besides, there is a beautiful background music theme throughout the whole movie. It is almost like a second character who leads the audience through the story.
In conclusion, I would restate my viewpoint that this film can surely lift oneâs mood. Everything seems perfectly balanced in the story: characters, acting, music, editing, dialogues, and other details. Actors played a major role in transmitting a true Christmas atmosphere to the audience. I would recommend watching this classic of the genre to those who have not done it yet because it evokes pleasant childhood memories.
Work Cited
Home Alone. Directed by John Hughes, performance by Macaulay Culkin, Hughes Entertaiment, 1990.