Home Alone

"A family comedy without the family."

1990 1h 43m EN

👍

7.5

SOLID

★7.5TMDB · 12,924

ComedyFamily

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Eight-year-old Kevin McCallister makes the most of the situation after his family unwittingly leaves him behind when they go on Christmas vacation. When thieves try to break into his home, he puts up a fight like no other.

“A family comedy without the family.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Macaulay Culkin
Kevin
Joe Pesci
Harry
Daniel Stern
Marv
John Heard
Peter
Roberts Blossom
Marley
Catherine O'Hara
Kate
Angela Goethals
Linnie
Devin Ratray
Buzz

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Chris Columbus
Writers: John Hughes
Languages: English, French
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Grossed $477M — a 26.5× return. The kind of profit studios chase for a decade.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

36 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, French.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Home Alone Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Chris Columbus, shot by Julio Macat. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by John Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Raja Gosnell shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Macaulay Culkin and Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Chris Columbus directs. Julio Macat behind the camera. John Williams scores. Raja Gosnell cuts. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English, French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Grossed $477M — a 26.5× return. The kind of profit studios chase for a decade.
236 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, French.
4Part of the "Home Alone Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
5Directed by Chris Columbus, shot by Julio Macat. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by John Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Raja Gosnell shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Macaulay Culkin and Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "A family comedy without the family.".
10IMDB entry: tt0099785 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
1112,924 TMDB user ratings logged — serious cultural footprint.
12Classified under 23 themes, including "burglar", "holiday", "home", "alone".
13Released under 21 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Julio Macat
Original score: John Williams
Editing: Raja Gosnell
Production design: John Muto
Costume design: Jay Hurley
Makeup / hair: Linda Melazzo
Sound: Scott Martin Gershin
Stunt coordinator: Freddie Hice
Runtime: 103 min · 1h 43m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $18,000,000
Box office: $476,684,675
Return: 2648% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: Home Alone (1990)

Awards

Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Part of

Home Alone Collection

This series of movies sees a child accidentally left behind by their family during Christmas to fend for themselves against burglars.

Also by

Chris Columbus

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Gimly2019-12-30
★ 6/10
Doesn't really work if you actually spend the time to bother thinking about it, but so long as you don't Home Alone is a pretty good time. There's really no likeable character, and it's honestly pretty mean spirited, but sometimes that's what you might need to defrag over Christmas. Final rating:★★★ - I liked it. Would personally recommend you give it a go.
Andre Gonzales2023-05-27
★ 10/10
Love this movie. I was 8 when this came out. I remember being so jealous of Kevin, because I wished I could be home alone like that to do whatever I wanted.
CinemaSerf2023-08-26
★ 7/10
It has taken me 30 years to sit down and watch this film and I'm quite glad I finally did. I usually loathe kids movies, and the trails at the time always put me off - but Macauley Culkin is really quite a charmer in this tale of a youngster who is accidentally left at home at Christmas by his family. They have jetted off to Paris leaving him alone facing the unwanted attentions of two would-be burglars (Joe Pesci & Daniel Stern). Initially a bit unsettled, he is soon is his stride using just about every gadget (and critter) in their large family home to make sure he thwarts their thieving intentions. It's really all about the kid - and this one delivers well. The slapstick elements of the plot are designed to raise a smile, never to maim - even if having your head set on fire by a blow torch, or being walloped in the face by an hot iron might do longer term damage than happens here. That's the fun of it, for fun it is - it's a modern day Laurel & Hardy style story with an ending that's never in doubt. It does have a slightly more serious purpose, highlighting loneliness - not just for "Kevin" but his elderly neighbour "Marley" (Roberts Blossom) and it has that lovely scene on the aircraft when mother Catherine O'Hara realises that it wasn't just the garage doors that they forgot to sort out before they left! A great, and instantly recognisable score from maestro John Williams tops it all off nicely.

Production companies

Who made it

Hughes Entertainment
US
20th Century Fox
US

Key crew

ProducerJohn Hughes
EditorRaja Gosnell
CastingJanet Hirshenson
CastingJane Jenkins
Production DesignJohn Muto
Art DirectionDan Webster
Set DecorationEve Cauley
Costume DesignJay Hurley
Best Boy GripJoe Tomko
Second Second Assistant DirectorGeoffrey Hansen
Assistant Makeup ArtistLinda Melazzo
Assistant HairstylistDominic Mango
CostumerJennifer Jobst
Foley MixerGary A. Hecker
LyricistLeslie Bricusse
Set DecorationDaniel B. Clancy
Key Makeup ArtistKimberly Phillips
Key Hair StylistLinda Rizzuto
First Assistant DirectorMark Radcliffe
Property MasterWilliam D'Ambra
Construction CoordinatorEdward England
Set DesignerKaren Fletcher Trujillo
Set DesignerWilliam B. Fosser
Construction ForemanJoseph H. Gilmartin

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

burglar
holiday
home
alone
family relationships
slapstick comedy
little boy
home invasion
precocious child
booby trap
home alone
suburban chicago
mischievous child
christmas
kids on their own
child rescue
burglars
mischievous
joyous
hilarious
enthusiastic
joyful
wet bandits

Release history · US

When it landed

Premiere1990-11-10PG· Chicago, Illinois
Theatrical1990-11-16PG
Digital2015-10-06PG· 4K Ultra HD
Physical2020-09-15PG· 30th Anniversary Edition / 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital 4K