Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern in the Chris Columbus movie ‘Home Alone’

Written by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus, the comedy movie Home Alone (1990) captures our attention today. The story shared is that of an eight-year-old troublemaker who defends his home from a pair of burglars robbing affluent homes in suburban Chicago, Illinois, United States the evening before Christmas as the child’s family left him behind as they travel for pleasure to Paris, France in Europe.

(From left, Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, Jedidiah Cohen as cousin Rod and Devin Ratray as Buzz McCallister in the Chris Columbus movie Home Alone).

The evening before the eight-year-old would be isolated from his family, Kevin McCallister as portrayed by Macaulay Culkin finds himself getting picked on by his siblings, cousins and even fully grown Uncle Frank McCallister. The words from the likes of Uncle Frank and older brother Buzz, as portrayed by Gerry Bamman and Devin Ratray, respectively, sting Kevin more than the teasing from the others; a dispute over the pizza brought into the house for dinner before the flight that strands Kevin at home alone would lead to a large disagreement between Kevin and his parents.

(Gerry Bamman as Uncle Frank McCallister in the Chris Columbus movie Home Alone).

After being provoked by sibling rivalry and his rude uncle, Kevin has harsh words with his mother, Kate McCallister as portrayed by Catherine O’Hara. Kate banished Kevin for the night to the third story bedroom. Kevin sleeps through the rush of the next morning when the family realizes they overslept and need to rush to the airport to capture a flight to Europe. It is during the haste to depart for the airport that a neighbor kid inserts himself into the party’s headcount. It isn’t until Kevin’s parents Peter and Kate discover, in first class on the airplane, that Kevin would still be in suburban Chicago. John Heard portrayed Peter McCallister.

(From left, Catherine O’Hara as Kate McCallister and John Heard as Peter McCallister in the Chris Columbus movie Home Alone).

After waking in the morning to see the family vehicles still at the family home, Kevin realizes he is alone but not that his extended family had traveled to the airport in rented vans. It’s the day before Christmas, by himself for Kevin at this point, with the fear of neighbor “Old Man” Marley planted by Buzz and the extended family the night before. The decorated Christmas tree is left behind for the appearance the family would be home for the holiday. The exploration of his new found freedom offers comedic fodder for the audience at this point, as is the family’s discovery that plans to get back to Kevin are the priority. Roberts Blossom portrayed “Old Man”Marley.

(From left, Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, Daniel Stern as Marv Murchins and Joe Pesci as Harry Lyme in the Chris Columbus movie Home Alone).

Kevin’s efforts to defend the family house against burglers Harry Lyme and Marv Murchins, portrayed by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, respectively, offers much comedic fodder to the remainder of the movie. The troublemaker kid against the troublemaker adults made for laughs in the live action gags planned to keep the McCallister home safe. The framing of the movie’s outcome to show Kevin’s responses to when and if his family gets back to suburban Chicago to share Christmas day with him offer a payoff the movie needs to answer the drama that began the overarching story.

(From left, Roberts Blossom as “Old Man” Marley and Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister in the Chris Columbus movie Home Alone).

The comedy delivered with Chris Columbus‘ Home Alone delivers laughs with a touch of heartwarming delivery to tie a bow around the effort of watching. The movie delivers content for adults that works as well as it might for 12-year-olds might find laughs in the antics of after school cartoons for the youths of people of a certain age. I grant Home Alone as directed by Chris Columbus and written by John Hughes 4.0-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, December 23, 2023

Robin Williams, Sally Field and Pierce Brosnan in the Chris Columbus movie ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’

The 1987 book Madame Doubtfire by English author Anne Fine, known as Alias Madame Doubtfire in the United States, was written for teenage and young adult audiences. Chris Columbus directed the movie Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) six years later, which set the story as written for screen by Randi Mayem Singer and Leslie Dixon in San Francisco, California. My lovely wife, Lynn of Matt Lynn Digital, enjoys this movie very much.

(Robin Williams as the character Mrs. Doubtfire in the Chris Columbus movie Mrs. Doubtfire).

The movie Mrs. Doubtfire opens with an opening sequence wherein we are introduced to voice actor Daniel Hilliard, as portrayed by Robin Williams, voicing a cartoon that includes imagery for children that he finds inappropriate. In objection, Hilliard walks off set and quits the job and heads home to spend time with his kids, named Lydia, Chris and Natalie. Despite the explicit wishes of his Daniel’s wife not to celebrate Chris’ birthday extravagantly due to unsatisfactory grades in school, Daniel initiates a celebration well beyond the wishes of the children’s mother. Sally Field portrayed Miranda Hilliard, Daniel’s wife and mother to the couple’s three kids.

(From left, Matthew Lawrence as Chris Hillard, Mara Wilson as Natalie Hillard and Lisa Jakub as Lydia Hillard in the Chris Columbus movie Mrs. Doubtfire).

Miranda Hilliard is called home from work to address the noise complaint that originates with the party. Shortly after breaking up the party and sending the neighborhood guests on their way, Daniel and the kids learn that these incidents were the final straw for Miranda’s patience. A divorce would follow wherein Daniel would leave the family home and be granted limited visitation with the children. The character Mrs. Doubtfire is born of this development, with the assistance of Daniel’s brother Frank. Lisa Jakub portrayed the eldest child, Lydia Hilliard. Matthew Lawrence portrayed the middle child, Chris Hilliard. Mara Wilson portrayed the youngest child, Natalie Hilliard.

(From left, Harvey Fierstein as Frank and Scott Capurro as Jack in the Chris Columbus movie Mrs. Doubtfire).

The separation from his kids being more than Daniel Hilliard could bear, he set in motion to reduce the competition for housekeepers for the professional and newly single parent, Miranda Hilliard. Daniel’s brother Frank, as portrayed by Harvey Fierstein, works with Frank’s domestic partner Jack to build the prosthetics and costume for what would become the housekeeper for his kids, Mrs. Doubtfire. The backstory for how Daniel pulls off landing his new engagement with his family offers humor all its own. Domestic partner Jack was portrayed by Scott Capurro.

(From left, Sally Field as Miranda Hillard and Pierce Brosnan as Stu in the Chris Columbus movie Mrs. Doubtfire).

A completely engaging and remarkable set of relationships between Daniel Hilliard and his family, Miranda and the kids included, emerges with the former husband now serving as the family’s older, British nanny. Miranda engages in a blossoming romantic relationship with a former love interest name Stu, whom she became reacquainted with through her professional life. The ulterior motives that the audience becomes privy too, knowing the true identity of family’s nanny, offers much humor. Pierce Brosnan portrayed Miranda’s love interest, Stu.

(From left, Anne Haney as Mrs. Sellner and Robert Prosky Mr. Lundy in the Chris Columbus movie Mrs. Doubtfire).

Occurring at the same time as the blossoming relationships the came to pass following the divorce, Daniel is required as a part of his permanent custody wishes to submit to court-mandated inspections of fitness for his living quarters as well as permanent work. Mrs. Sellner, as portrayed by Anne Haney, is the person appointed to conduct the home inspections while also helping Daniel land work. Mr. Lundy, as portrayed by Robert Prosky, plays a role in the short-term and long-term solutions to Daniel landing work in support of the custody arrangements that underline the story’s longer-term direction.

(From left, actor Robin Williams as Daniel Hilliard and director Chris Columbus on-set of the Chris Columbus movie Mrs. Doubtfire).

The comedy and the drama offered in Mrs. Doubtfire make the movie experience worth the 125-minute running time. The movie hits on many of the teenage and young adult themes relevant to the audience of the source material of the books while striking a good balance that works for an adult audience open to the same. I grant Mrs. Doubtfire as directed by Chris Columbus 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, March 26, 2022