A new Christmas Comedy Home Sweet Home Alone is now out on Disney+. Directed by Dan Mazer, the screenplay is by Mikey Day and Street Seidell. The film stars Ellie Kemper, Archie Yates, Rob Delany, Aisling Bea, Kenan Thompson, Ally Maki, Pete Holmes, Chris Parnell, Timothy Simons and Andy Daly. It is the 6 film for the Home Alone franchise.
The IMDb synopsis reads, “A married couple tries to steal back a valuable heirloom from a troublesome kid.”
Home Sweet Home Alone Review Contains Mild Spoilers
Disney+ Home Sweet Home Alone focuses not only on a boy named Max (Archie Yates) but also a couple named Pam and Jeff McKenzie (Ellie Kemper and Rob Delaney). Pam and Jeff have kept their house open for selling during Christmas as they can’t afford to pay the mortgage. Jeff has no job, and Pam’s teacher’s salary isn’t enough to carry on. Their kids are totally unaware of what their parents are planning to do.
Carol Mercer (Aisling Bea) and her son Max, who live in the same neighbourhood, stop at the McKenzie house as the boy wants to pee. Max pokes fun at Jeff for his collection of porcelain dolls as an adult. Later, Pam and Jeff find out that the price of their porcelain doll is big enough to help them get the money to save the house. However, the doll is missing from the box, and the couple knows it’s no one but Max who has stolen it.
On the other hand, Max Mercer’s house is shown to be like the McCallisters – noisy, loud, messy and full of kids. Just like Kevin, Max wishes to be alone during Christmas, and his wish is granted. After having fun alone, he has to “defend” his house from Pam and Jeff, who just want their porcelain doll back. The rest is all the “harmless” violence he subjects the couple to because he believes they want to kidnap him.
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When a film fails to engage you in the first 25 minutes, you know it’s not going to get any better. What made the original Home Alone stand out was how it captured the spirit of Christmas, added funny jokes and made Kevin relatable and likeable. Here, Max is a spoiled kid who steals from a couple’s house, struggling financially. So it doesn’t make you like him even if he’s being shown as the defender and the couple as the villains.
Even if we ignore how poorly written Mac is, the screenplay doesn’t hold your attention. It’s a weak reimagination of a classic that’s etched in the minds of people of all ages. The scenes where Max playfully attacks Pam and Jeff to protect himself aren’t funny. It truly feels like watching a bad parody of the Christmas comedy.
Christmas movies make you feel homely, smile or comfortable. However, that essence is lacking in Home Sweet Home Alone on Disney+. While Ellie and Rob play their part well as Pam and Jeff, you really ask the question – Do they deserve to face violence by a rich kid who stole their valuable doll? When Kate McCallister (Catherine O’Hara) realises she left her son Kevin at home in Home Alone, you feel her agony and stress. Here Carol (Aisling Bea) hasn’t displayed the emotions that strongly. You don’t empathise with her.
Home Sweet Home Alone Review: Final Thoughts
Overall, Home Sweet Home Alone is a lousy and unfunny story. Despite changing the storyline and adding the ‘family’ element, it isn’t enjoyable. As a fan of Christmas movies, I wouldn’t watch something that makes me awkward because of lame jokes. Maybe it’s time to stop remaking the original?
The film is now streaming on Disney+.
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