MovieChat Forums > Home Alone (1990) Discussion > What am I missing?

What am I missing?

posted 5 years ago by strangenstein (683)
19 replies | jump to latest

My wife and I saw this in the theater in 1990 and we both found it excruciatingly unfunny. Kevin is a disrespectful brat, most of his family is annoying, and the slapstick hijinks feel like they flew in from another movie. I normally love John Hughes-scripted movies, but this one never grabbed me. I’ve watched it three or four times over the years, but I still don’t get the appeal. I like that the movie tries to have a heart, particularly as Kevin begins to see the error of his ways, but the rest just doesn’t gel for me. What am I missing?

[–] MovieChatUser497 (18943) 5 years ago

I guess it's a simple matter of "to each his own". I found movies like Knocked Up, Super Troopers, Wedding Crashers, etc. to be criminally unfunny (didn't laugh once during any of them) but everyone around me seemed to think they were comedy gold so there you go.

[–] BillySlater (4241) 5 years ago

I think you kind of have to like slapstick comedy to enjoy the humour in it. As an adult, I actually don´t find the film that funny either, I like it more than anything for nostalgic reasons.

[–] hurricane (1960) 5 years ago

I remember enjoying this movie as a kid, but don't think I've ever seen it properly as an adult.

The times I've seen clips of the movie played on other shows, the slapstick does seem to be a bit over the top now and I wonder if I'd like it now.

It's just down to opinion really. I never found Ricky Gervais massively amusing, for example. But at the moment everybody is losing their nut because he hosted an award ceremony. Just each to their own.

[–] BillySlater (4241) 5 years ago

Not a fan of his either but I think people are respecting him atm because he pointed out the hypocrisy in Hollywood.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8711) 5 years ago

When I first saw the film I was only about eight years old. I do not remember precisely how FUNNY I found it to be, but I do remember being very entertained.

Today I still find the film entertaining. Again, not sure about "funny," but I enjoy watching it. You're right that Kevin is a bit of a dick, but that's his character arc. He learns to be a better person and to be a functioning unit within his family. He learns that "making his family disappear" and being rid of them is not all it's cracked up to be.

With that said, while I do like the movie and continue to enjoy it, it's not one of the watch-it-every-year Christmas classics for me. It's not on the level of Christmas Vacation, for instance, where watching it is a joyful annual tradition that is not to be missed. It's more of a watch-it-every-three-to-five-years kind of movie.

[–] strntz (12255) 5 years ago

My wife and I saw this... What am I missing?

Well, it's a kids movie...

[–] HelpMeRhonda (1158) 5 years ago

I think it’d help if you liked Kevin. He’s not a perfect kid and not always likeable but he is fairly realistic as a 9 year old boy.

I think that Harry and Marv also have to be loved in order to like this movie.

[–] strangenstein (683) 5 years ago

Agreed regarding Kevin. When I watched it again last night I was appalled at how he speaks to his parents. If I’d ever spoken that way to my mom and dad, well, I probably wouldn’t here today.

It’ll be 5 or 6 years before I watch it again, but when I do I’ll keep your words in mind about liking Kevin.

[–] HelpMeRhonda (1158) 5 years ago

Yeah he's pretty ugly. Then again, his parents don't always make it easy for him, which I can relate to. I like Kev because he's rude, snotty, thinks that life is unfair to him, and I can relate to feeling that way as a kid. At the same time, there are times when it looks like he's the only reasonable one in the whole house.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ATG6 (3000) 5 years ago

Slapstick comedy, duh. It's hilarious. The bandits are basically Wile E. Coyote.

[–] Bosdog6777 (817) 5 years ago

Ok Boomer