A One Mann’s Movies review of “Home Sweet Home Alone” (2021).
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
Last year I put together this listing of my favourite Christmas films of all time, and the original “Home Alone”, directed by Chris Columbus, was top of that list. “Home Alone 2” came close to matching it, but then we went into a terminal decline with the dross that was 3, 4, and 5 (“The Holiday Heist”). Why oh why oh why oh why did someone think green lighting “Home Sweet Home Alone” was a good idea?
Plot Summary:
Through a contrived need for a bathroom break, Max Mercer (Archie Yates) and his mum Carol (Aisling Bea) enter the house of married couple Pam and Jeff McKenzie (Ellie Kemper and Rob Delaney). When a priceless doll goes missing, Ellie and Rob go to the Mercer’s house to retrieve it, only to find that the whole of Max’s family has gone to Japan for Christmas leaving Max ‘home alone’. The couple chooses to access the property to search for and retrieve the doll. But Max has other ideas.
Certification:
Talent:
Starring: Ellie Kemper, Rob Delaney, Aisling Bea, Archie Yates.
Directed by: Dan Mazer.
Written by: Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell. (Based on the original story by John Hughes, who is probably swivelling in his grave).
“Home Sweet Home Alone” Review:
Positives:
- There is one decent line in the film. When Hunter (Tim Simons, who was in “Veep” if you’re trying to place him) is watching a modernised version of “Angels with Filthy Souls” (as featured in the original movie) he bemoans how people try and fail to successfully remake classic movies.
- It was fun to see Devin Ratray, the original Buzz, as a security guard (although the contrived lines he was given to provide an ongoing feud with Kevin were laughably poor).
Negatives:
- Where do I start? Just writing out the “Plot Summary” above made me gasp again at the crassness of this movie. It’s just so utterly nonsensical and distateful. It suggests that the “hero” of our film stole the priceless doll, just to spitefully get back at the Jeff McKenzie’s for joking with him in an evil way. (Spoiler alert: it wasn’t him). Then instead of going to the police to follow the logical approach that any right-thinking person would do, they commit multiple crimes and suffer grievous bodily harm based on a hunch. It really beggars belief. And because YOU are rather rooting for the McKenzie’s rather than this obnoxious little “Kevin”, the slapstick is painful rather than funny.
- Ellie Kemper, Rob Delaney and Aisling Bea are all great comedy actors, but they just can’t do anything with this crappy material. I’m surprised they went near it. It’s CV car-crash stuff. Archie Yates (the friend from “Jojo Rabbit” can’t help with the material either: you feel sorry for him.
- The ending is just stupifyingly sickly. Please, get me a bucket.
Summary Thoughts on “Home Sweet Home Alone”
This will no doubt come around again next Christmas. Avoid!
Trailer for “Home Sweet Home Alone”
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BkVf2voCr0 .
