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HOME SWEET HOME ALONE – Review – We Are Movie Geeks

Review

HOME SWEET HOME ALONE – Review

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Time for yet another merry “movie mash-up”, with a big accent on the first “m”, The studios love mixing genres and “concepts’ almost as much as character “meetings” (as we saw a few months ago when the big ape met the big scaly lizard, though it’s really a “versus”). Here’s a “holiday film” that’s also a reboot (or “re-imagining”). Or is it? Sure, there have been many variations of “A Christmas Carol’, swapping time periods and even genders. And while that one is perhaps the most famous yuletide tale of the 19th century, for the last decade of the 20th, it’s that heart-tugging, gut-busting romp about a lad left by himself for the big “25th”. It generated two sequels that involved the “Kevin” character and a couple of “follow-ups” (in title only) with other youngsters in a similar predicament. Now, the 2021 “model’ is a perplexing “hybrid’ as it’s got another lad, but the producers go out of their way to let us know that it is set in the “world” of that 1990 original. But that’s one of several twists on the “formula’ in store for families that gather around the big screen, next to the glowing tree, of course, to watch HOME SWEET HOME ALONE.


Actually, there’s a big “twist’ right from the start, as we meet the “intruders’ in the first few minutes. Due to the loss of his computer storage job, Jeff (Rob Delaney), along with devoted wife Pam (Ellie Kemper) are on-site as eager reality agent Gavin (Kevan Thompson) hosts an open house for their Winnetka, IL home. But somehow the couple isn’t quite 100% helpful (they haven’t even told their two kids about the upcoming sale and move). Meanwhile, pre-teen Max (Archie Yates) is running errands with “mum” Carol (Aisling Bea) when “nature calls”. Aha! They’ll “crash” the open house and make quick use of the facilities. Outside the bathroom, Rob is doing some closet reorganizing and taking out an open box full of odd antique dolls. Carol mentions that one of them, a lil’ lad with an _upside-down” head (a makers’ error) is rare and perhaps valuable. Jeff laughs it off, however. When Max’s “business” is done, he asks Jeff for a big can of orange soda. When Jeff denies his request (“too sugary”). Max gives him an angry scowl. Soon he’s back at his chaotic home which is full of relatives (uncles, aunts, cousins), who’ll be joining him on a Christmas trip to Tokyo early the next morning. To get away from the ruckus, and the irritating Uncle Blake (Pete Holmes), Max drifts off to sleep in the garage, behind the wheel of the family SUV. That same night Jeff’s awakened by the early arrival of “flush with cash” pushy brother Hunter (Timothy Simons), wife Mei (Ally Maki), and their little boy. Since he can’t sleep, Jeff goes online to find the value of that “ugly boy” doll, An eBay auction is at 200 G’s! He rushes to the closet to find the toy is gone! Max must’ve swiped it in spite. Hours later he’s left behind in the garage as the frantic trek to the airport (the big family has been split onto separate flights). While Max delights at his solo holiday, Jeff and Pam decide their only option is to break into Max’s home and retrieve the doll. But it certainly won’t be that easy, as we’ve seen in five other flicks…

So, they’ve pulled a real switcheroo by sharing the film’s focus with the “burglars’, who are a far cry from the original’s “wet bandits”. Jeff and Pam are a nice, though goofy, suburban couple plucked from any family sitcom (they’d be right at home on ABC’s classic 90’s Friday line-up). And it helps that both actors have had lots of TV experience. Delaney’s perhaps best known for the somewhat edgy Amazon Prime show “Catastrophe”, which he also co-created. He makes Jeff a lovable doofus, but imbues him with a touch of pathos, especially in one scene as his home’s impending sale sends him into a hazy nostalgic dream of warm memories. Plus he’s got a great knack for the usual slapstick elements of the series, as does Kemper, who captivated TV audiences in NBC’s “The Office” before her signature role as “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” on Netflix. As Pam, she’s the real brains of the duo, whether she’s barking orders (but in a loving way) to her dazed spouse, or playing dumb and innocent to the simple constables. Oh, Ms. Kemper can really sell the “pain” (I’ll think of her whenever I see a “free-range” Lego). These two “pros” use their skills in order to “hold their ground” against (really working alongside) the “scene-stealing” Yates, so endearing as the BFF of JO JO RABBIT. Like his predecessors in the series, he aptly balances the highs (plotting out and executing his “defense plan”) and lows (he really doesn’t wish to be alone on the ‘big day”). Yes, he gives “mum” a hard time, but we can’t get too miffed at his “onslaught of charm”. As his “mum”, Bea expertly balances frustration, not only at Max but also the dimwitted adults, and pure parental panic as she shifts very quickly into “mama Grizzly” mode. Simons is the anti-“Cousin Eddie” (from that other 1990’s yuletide iconic classic NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION) as the obnoxious Hunter who pummels his brother’s kids with too-pricey presents, aided by his vapid wife Mei played by the funny Maki. Other great comic talents are Holmes as the clueless clod Blake and Thompson as the commission-crazed realtor who will not be “ghosted”. Oh, and there’s a familiar face from the series, but I won’t spoil it (hear that, Santa).

Veteran comedy director Dan Mazer keeps the pace rolling on, while slowing things down just enough for the story’s more sentimental moments to pluck at the heartstrings. Kudos to screenwriters Mikey Day (yes, the SNL cast member since 2014) and Streeter Seidell (working from the John Hughes blueprint) for mixing up the format and giving us a more sympathetic adversary for the young domicile defender. But this often backfires, as this down on his luck dad seems unworthy of the relentless pummeling in the third act (ditto for mom Pam). Yes, this is supposed to emulate “cartoon violence” (Max may be inspired by a classic Roadrunner cartoon on his SUV’s monitor…but Fox is now part of the “Mouse House”), but some of the traps make us cringe in pain rather than guffaw. And with the enhancement of CGI, we’re stunned that the duo doesn’t pass out, let alone that they can trudge forward through Max’s mini-mansion (and that property damage and insurance forms). Sure, the tykes will be tickled by the slapstick, but they may recall that the pair being punished have their own kids at home, sleeping while the mayhem ensues. But I guess this is similar to slamming a musical for big song-and-dance numbers or horses in a Western. It’s been part of this series for over 30 years now., along with the John Willimas theme that wafts through several scenes. Luckily the talented new cast overcomes the familiar tropes to give an interesting spin on the series for the sixth outing in HOME SWEET HOME ALONE. It’ll go well with the egg nog and cookies, just keep the mints away from the soda pop.

2.5 out of 4

HOME SWEET HOME ALONE streams exclusively on Disney+ beginning on Friday, November 12, 2021

Jim Batts was a contestant on the movie edition of TV's "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" in 2009 and has been a member of the St. Louis Film Critics organization since 2013.