4 Plot Holes in ‘Home Alone’ That Puzzle Me as an Adult
Over the years, several holiday movies have made it into my yearly rotation. Films like Elf, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and Home Alone play on my television next to the glow of my Christmas tree every December. However, while I love Home Alone, that doesn’t mean I’m not baffled by some of the decisions made by writer John Hughes and director Chris Columbus. As a kid, sure, I never questioned anything, but watching it as an adult? Totally different mindset. Here are four plot holes that keep me up at night when I think about Home Alone.
The mayor needs to fire the entire police department
First things first, the police officers in Home Alone leave a lot to be desired when it comes to protecting the good citizens of this Chicago suburb. After Kevin’s (Macaulay Culkin) parents realized he didn’t make it to Paris with the rest of the family, they immediately contact the police. The bumbling police officers answering the phone are absolutely zero help. Plus, when they finally agree to go check the McAllister’s house, they take one small look-around before declaring, “Nothing to see here!” and leave. What in the name of protect-and-serve is happening? It’s a 10-year-old child left alone. Any normal police force would do much more to help the McAllisters.
Did the entire city of Chicago travel somewhere else for the holidays in ‘Home Alone’?
When Kate (Catherine O’Hara) exits the plane at the airport in France, she doles out coins to everyone in her gigantic family. She explains to everyone they need to call every person they know to go check on Kevin. Not one single person reaches a neighbor, friend, or coworker. I understand that it’s winter break, and many people travel to different places to visit family members. So, you’re trying to tell me that not one single person they know in the city of Chicago stayed at home? Now, I understand the phone lines went down due to a storm the previous night. However, I refuse to believe they don’t have any friends that don’t live on their street.
The Wet Bandits would’ve been the Dead Bandits after Kevin’s shenanigans
Several years ago, I read a social media post from a person wondering what Home Alone would’ve been like as a horror movie instead of a fun family flick. Since then (thank you, random person, online) I, too, pondered the possibilities. For starters, Kevin was clearly out for blood. Nails through feet, paint cans to faces, and heads lit on fire by blow torches aren’t minor injuries. The paint can alone would have crumpled Harry’s (Joe Pesci) skull like an eggshell. And don’t even get me started on the potential tetanus festering in Marv’s (Daniel Stern) foot after the nail injury. No way those two made it out alive after facing those booby traps. If you ask me, Kevin had an unquenched thirst for blood and wanted Marv and Harry dead.
Why did the pizza delivery guy in ‘Home Alone’ not call the cops?
In one of the best moments in Home Alone, Kevin uses the audio from an old gangster movie to get his pizza left at the door. When the delivery boy pulls up, Kevin syncs up lines from the movie to answer the kid’s questions. While a little gruff, the lines work fine, except when the end of the “conversation” ends in gunfire. Do you mean to tell me that kid, who practically peed his pants in absolute terror, didn’t tell anyone about the time he got shot at while delivering a large cheese pizza to a fancy house in the suburbs? He didn’t drive directly to the police station? I’m not buying it.
I am buying the fact that despite all of these incidents, Home Alone remains one of my favorite Christmas movies to date. So, what about you? Are there any plot holes in Home Alone that keep you up at night? Leave them in the comments below!
