Summary
- Home Alone 2: Lost in New York features a memorable cameo by Donald Trump, who reportedly gained an appearance through his quid pro quo style of working.
- The sequel largely sticks to the successful formula of the original Home Alone, with a similar plot and clever, deadly booby traps set up by the main character.
- While subsequent sequels failed to capture the magic of the first two films, Home Alone and Home Alone 2 still bring the holiday magic and can be easily found on Disney+.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York may not be quite as loved as its predecessor, but the Macaulay Culkin film does have several memorable moments that make it another much-loved Christmas classic. There is, of course, one moment in the movie that goes beyond the original Home Alone with a celebrity cameo in the form of one Donald J. Trump. Following a recent revelation by director Chris Columbus that the businessman and former president “bullied” his way into the movie, Trump has now responded in his usual way – with a counter his social media platform, Truth Social. He wrote:
30 years ago (how time flies!), Director Chris Columbus, and others, were begging me to make a cameo appearance in Home Alone 2. They rented the Plaza Hotel in New York, which I owned at the time. I was very busy, and didn’t want to do it. They were very nice, but above all, persistent. I agreed, and the rest is history!
Trump continued to praise his appearance in the movie as the reason for the longevity and overall success of the film year after year, as well as noting that Columbus is just out for “a quick fix of Trump publicity for himself.” He went on:
“That little cameo took off like a rocket, and the movie was a big success, and still is, especially around Christmas time. People call me whenever it is aired. Now, however, 30 years later, Columbus (what was his real name?) put out a statement that I bullied myself into the movie. Nothing could be further from the truth.That cameo helped make the movie a success, but if they felt bullied, or didn’t want me, why did they put me in, and keep me there, for over 30 years? Because I was, and still am, great for the movie, that’s why! Just another Hollywood guy from the past looking for a quick fix of Trump publicity for himself!”
Director Chris Columbus previously admitted that the cameo of the future president was one that Trump gained through being able to “bully” his way in via his quid pro quo way of working, a very different version of events to how the former president sees it.
Trump’s appearance in Home Alone 2 is a fleeting one, but did get quite the audience reaction when the movie was put in front of test audiences. As Culkin’s Kevin McCallister arrives at The Plaza Hotel, he bumps into Trump in the lobby and asks for directions. Speaking about how the Trump scene came to be, Columbus explained to Business Insider:
“Like most locations in New York City, you just pay a fee and you are allowed to shoot in that location. We approached The Plaza Hotel, which Trump owned at the time, because we wanted to shoot in the lobby. We couldn’t rebuild The Plaza on a soundstage. Trump said OK. We paid the fee, but he also said, ‘The only way you can use the Plaza is if I’m in the movie.’ So we agreed to put him in the movie, and when we screened it for the first time the oddest thing happened: People cheered when Trump showed up on-screen. So I said to my editor, ‘Leave him in the movie. It’s a moment for the audience.’ But he did bully his way into the movie.”
Home Alone 2 Is a Beloved Sequel, but Doesn’t Bring Much New.
When it comes to rinse-and-repeat sequels, there are not many as blatant as Home Alone 2. Other than switching the setting to New York, the combination of Culkin’s lost Kevin, Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern as the bad guys on his tail, and a host of clever if deadly booby traps that made the original movie a success are all in place.
While there is the expected escalation of the traps set up by Kevin to injure his pursuers, there are few surprises in the movie, which is probably why many critics hated the film. Having said that, it is hard to deny that there is something about watching Stern’s Marv having staples fired into his crotch or being electrocuted to the point where he becomes a screaming skeleton that just makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Although this was the last movie that the original stars returned for, the franchise continued on through several further sequels. Despite always sticking close to the premise of a small child setting up traps for bad guys, without the chemistry of Culkin, Pesci and Stern, none of the subsequent movies have come close to matching the magic of Home Alone or Home Alone 2. Thankfully, if you want to relive the magic of the movies this year, they can easily be found on Disney+.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
