Home Sweet Home Alone

Home Sweet Home Alone
Promotional release poster
Directed by	Dan Mazer
Screenplay by	Mikey Day Streeter Seidell
Story by	Mikey Day Streeter Siedell John Hughes
Based on	Home Alone by John Hughes
Produced by	Hutch Parker Dan Wilson
Starring	Ellie Kemper Rob Delaney Archie Yates Aisling Bea Kenan Thompson Pete Holmes Ally Maki Chris Parnell
Cinematography	Mitchell Amundsen
Edited by	David Rennie Dan Zimmerman
Music by	John Debney
Production companies	20th Century Studios Hutch Parker Entertainment
Distributed by	Disney+
Release date	November 12, 2021(2021-11-12)
Running time	93 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Home Sweet Home Alone(also known asHome Alone 6) is a 2021 AmericanChristmascomedy filmdirected byDan Mazer,written byMikey DayandStreeter Seidell,and starringEllie Kemper,Rob Delaney,Archie Yates,Aisling Bea,Kenan Thompson,Pete Holmes,Ally Maki,andChris ParnellwithDevin Ratrayreprising his role as Buzz McCallister from the first two films. The sixth film in theHome Alonefranchise,Home Sweet Home Alonewas produced by20th Century Studiosas an original title forDisney+,the first 20th Century Studios film to be produced for the streaming service. The film was announced afterThe Walt Disney Company acquired 21st Century Foxand inherited the rights to theHome Alonefranchise.Home Sweet Home Alonewas released on November 12, 2021, to generally negative reviews from critics.

Plot

Jeff and Pam McKenzie are trying to sell their house, but have not told their children, Abby and Chris. Jeff lost his job and Pam's salary is not enough to keep their home. To make matters worse, Jeff's obnoxious and successful brother Hunter, his wife, Mei, and their son Ollie have decided to stay with them for Christmas.

During an open house, Max Mercer and his mother Carol stop by to use the restroom. Max has a brief exchange with Jeff, during which the latter reveals a box of old dolls, including a malformed one with an upside down face. Carol explains to Jeff that dolls with unusual deformities are rare and worth a lot of money. As Max and Carol return home, the whole family is preparing to leave forTokyo,Japan, for the holidays, with Carol leaving earlier than the rest. Max, annoyed with the fuss, settles in the garage-parked car to watch cartoons and accidentally falls asleep. Unfortunately, Max's family do not realize that their son was sleeping in the car parked in the garage and left him at home, thinking he was in another vehicle with one of the rest of the members.

Concerned about losing their home, Jeff goes to get the doll only to find it is missing. Believing that Max stole it, he locates the Mercer household the next day only to find the whole family hastily leaving. During the commotion, he overhears the security code and sees where the house key is hidden. Telling Pam about it, they agree to get the doll back at night.

Meanwhile, Max discovers the whole family has left and initially has fun, though he quickly grows bored and misses them. Meanwhile, Jeff and Pam arrive at the Mercer's and get inside. Overhearing them talk about getting an "ugly little boy", Max assumes they are talking about kidnapping and selling him. He attempts to scare them away by calling the police. Officer Buzz McCallister arrives, but Pam diverts him. Max fears if Officer McCallister realizes he is home alone, his parents may get arrested.

Carol discovers Max was left behind and buys a ticket to head back. The McKenzies go to church the next day and run into their realtor. He tells them there is a buyer, but they must decide by the end of the year, which puts extensive pressure on them. Max arrives and unknowingly converses with Jeff and Pam's son Chris who sympathetically gives him his water gun. The couple spot Max talking with someone and assume she is his grandmother. They resolve to break into the house once again while their family is still at church.

Sneaking around the back of the house, Jeff and Pam end up in the neighbor's backyard instead. Max overhears them once again, with Jeff agreeing to arrive dressed as Santa in an effort to fool him. Max responds by boobie-trapping the house to cause difficulty and prevent them from getting close to himself while Jeff and Pam wait for their family to fall asleep on Christmas Eve. The couple fall into Max's traps, during which they discover that Max did not steal the doll, but instead a can of soda. They clear up the misunderstanding, but learn Max is home alone and agree to let him stay with them until his mother returns.

As they explain the whole situation to their family, it turns out that Ollie stole the doll and managed to safely retrieve it, thus ensuring that the McKenzies can stay. Carol arrives to pick up Max. Having moved into their house only two months ago, Carol finds friends in the McKenzies and thanks them for taking care of Max.

One year later, the Mercers and McKenzies have Christmas dinner together. Jeff has gotten a new job and willingly gives Max the soda he craved the year prior.

Cast

• Archie Yatesas Max Mercer, a boy who is left behind at home by his family.
• Rob Delaneyas Jeff McKenzie, an out-of-work man who plans to obtain an expensive doll from the Mercers' home.
• Ellie Kemperas Pam McKenzie, Jeff's wife who works as a teacher.
• Aisling Beaas Carol Mercer, the mother of Max.
• Andy Dalyas Mike Mercer, Carol's husband, and Max's father.
• Kenan Thompsonas Gavin Washington, a real estate agent.
• Tim Simonsas Hunter McKenzie, Jeff's obnoxious and more successful brother.
• Ally Makias Mei, Hunter's wife and Jeff's sister-in-law.
• Pete Holmesas Uncle Blake Mercer, Max's uncle, and Mike and Stu's brother.
• Chris Parnellas Uncle Stu Mercer, another uncle of Max, the brother of Mike and Blake.
• Katie Beth Hallas Abby McKenzie, Jeff and Pam's daughter.
  • Justine Archambault as Young Abby McKenzie
• Max Ivutin as Chris McKenzie, Jeff and Pam's son.
  • Amadeo Correia as Young Chris McKenzie
• Maddie Holliday as Katie Mercer, the sister of Max.
• Aiden Wang as Ollie, son of Hunter and Mei
• Allan Wang as Abby and Chris's cousin.
• Esther Povitskyas Daisy Breckin
• Jordan Carlosas Clem Breckin
• Mikey Dayas Priest
• Jim Rashas Bell Choir Leader
• Martin Stone as Grandpa Mercer
• William S. Taylor as Grandpa Burke
• Linda Joyce Nourse as Grandma Burke
• Nick Allan asSanta Claus
• Kristina Klebeas the voice of Homebot
• Devin Ratrayas Officer Buzz McCallister
• John Novakas Johnny
• Eddie G. as Snakes

Production

On August 6, 2019,DisneyCEOBob Igerannounced that a new film in theHome Alonefranchise,titled simplyHome Alone,was in development.By October,Dan Mazerhad entered negotiations to direct the film, with a script co-written byMikey DayandStreeter Seidell.Hutch Parker and Dan Wilson served as producers.

In December 2019,Archie Yates,Rob Delaney,andEllie Kemperwere announced as the co-stars of the film.In July 2020, it was reported thatAlly Maki,Kenan Thompson,Chris Parnell,Aisling Bea,Pete Holmes,Timothy Simons,andMikey Dayhad joined the cast.In April 2020, it was reported thatMacaulay Culkin,who played Kevin McCallister in the first two films, would reprise his role in a cameo;In October 2021, Culkin denied his involvement in the film.In August 2021, it was announced thatDevin Ratray,who played Buzz McCallister in the first two films, would appear.

Principal photography began in February 2020, inMontreal,Quebec, Canada.In March, filming was halted due to theCOVID-19 pandemicand industry restrictions worldwide.In November 2020, Disney announced that all its films that had been postponed by the coronavirus had resumed filming, and in some cases completedprincipal photography.The film was released digitally onDisney+on November 12, 2021.

Music

The score of the film was composed and conducted byJohn Debney,which incorporatesJohn Williams' themes from the first two films. Two tracks in the score, "He's Hurting Me", and "Who Raised This Monster?", included a reference toAlan Silvestri's theme from the film,Mouse Hunt.

Marketing

The first trailer was released on October 12, 2021. It was met with negative responses by fans, and received more than 79,000 dislikes onYouTubein the first three days of release.

Aisling Bea,who is Irish, received criticism for using an English accent in the film. She said in an interview that "people were trying to connect it to some form of oppression, because it was American people getting me to do an English accent". She said she had used many accents in her career and dismissed the criticism as "sort of whatTwitterwas created for: people to complain about things that don't matter ".

Release

Home Sweet Home Alonepremiered on November 12, 2021 on Disney+.

Reception

Critical response

On thereview aggregatorwebsiteRotten Tomatoes,15% of 69 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 3.70/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Nobody'sHome."OnMetacritic,the film has a weighted average score of 35 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".

Benjamin Lee ofThe Guardiangave the film 3 out of 5 stars and wrote: "Home Sweet Home Aloneis a surprisingly entertaining, if wholly unnecessary, sequel, a tangerine where we expected to find a lump of coal. "Jennifer Green ofCommon Sense Mediaalso gave it 3 out of 5 stars and wrote: "By this point, after no fewer than five previous features in the franchise,Home Sweet Home Alonemight not have much new to offer. But the characters here have a wholesomeness to them that was missing in some of the earlier films. "Aditya Mani Jha ofFirstpostrated the film 3 out of 5 stars and wrote: "Overall,Home Sweet Home Aloneis a competently mounted but unambitious film. At times, it plays like a showreel from its source material, and the makers are okay with it being that way. This makes it efficient in the blockbuster sense, but even its keenest backers will find it difficult to remember too many of the film’s all-new scenarios or one-liners after the end credits roll. "Adam Graham ofThe Detroit Newsgave it a grade of B− and wrote: "Home Sweet Home Aloneholds its own, a new spin on an old tale that keeps the spirit of the original alive. "

CNN's Brian Lowry wrote that the film "is a very odd duck -- a movie that basically replicates the three-decades-old" Home Alone "template, but in a way that feels slightly weird and ill-conceived."Tim Robey ofThe Daily Telegraphgave the film 2 out of 5 stars, writing: "Don't expect a Christmas miracle, then: it's more like a box of Quality Street that got heavily plundered before the wrapping went on."Clarisse Loughrey ofThe Independentgave the film 1 out of 5 stars, writing: "Home Sweet Home Alonedecides, somewhat arbitrarily, to switch everything up – the kid is now an utter arsehole while the burglars are sympathetic, which results in the audience rooting for criminals while really just hoping that everyone would quit it and go to sleep. "Kevin MaherofThe Timesalso gave the film 1 out of 5 stars, writing that "everything that happens before the mayhem — the burglary begins after a full hour of padding — is excruciatingly forced."Jake Wilson ofThe Agealso gave 1 out of 5 stars, writing: "This is less an actual movie than a lazy approximation, half-heartedly monkeying with formula while showing no understanding of why that formula ever worked at all."

Chris Columbus,the original director of the first twoHome Alonefilms was also critical of the decision to make a sixth movie, prior to the release of the film.On the topic of movie remakes, he said, "In this version of Hollywood that we live in, everybody is remaking everything, and rebooting everything. I mean, there's aHome Alonereboot coming out... What's the point? The movie exists, let's just live with the movie that existed. There's no point in any of us remakingThe Wizard of Oz,there's no point in any of us remaking the classic films. Make something original, because we need more original material. "

Accolades

Mikey Day andStreeter Seidellwere among the screenwriters honored during theMill Valley Film Festivalfor their contribution to the film.

External links

• Home Sweet Home AloneatIMDb
• Home Sweet Home AloneatMetacritic
• Home Sweet Home AloneatRotten Tomatoes