Best Movies like Home Alone (1990)

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York continues the story of Kevin, once again separated from his family during the holiday season and forced to defend himself using creative tricks against would-be burglars, closely mirroring the premise and comedic setup of the original Home Alone.

Instead of flying to Florida with his folks, Kevin ends up alone in New York, where he gets a hotel room with his dad's credit card—despite problems from a clerk and meddling bellboy. But when Kevin runs into his old nemeses, the Wet Bandits, he's determined to foil their plans to rob a toy store on Christmas Eve. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 0m runtime, released in 1992 with an average rating of 6.8 by 10,748 people. The movie made an estimated total of $358,994,850 in the box office.

Blank Check involves a young boy unexpectedly given the opportunity to take control of his life while unsupervised, much like how Kevin in Home Alone finds himself resourcefully navigating adult challenges alone, blending family comedy and kid-centered mischief.

Bullied by his siblings and nagged by his parents, 11-year-old Preston Waters is fed up with his family — especially their frugality. But he gets his chance to teach them a lesson when a money-laundering criminal nearly bulldozes Preston with his car and compensates the boy with a blank check. Preston makes the check out for $1 million and goes on a spending spree he'll never forget. Blank Check is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 33m runtime, released in 1994 with an average rating of 6.0 by 548 people. The movie made an estimated total of $30,600,000 in the box office.

Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead also follows a group of kids left without adult supervision, highlighting humorous and chaotic situations similar to Kevin's experience in Home Alone, where children navigate unexpected independence at home.

Sue Ellen Crandell is a teenager eagerly awaiting her mother's summer-long absence. While the babysitter looks after her rambunctious younger siblings, Sue Ellen can party and have fun. But then the babysitter abruptly dies, leaving the Crandells short on cash. Sue Ellen finds a sweet job in fashion by lying about her age and experience on her résumé. But, while her siblings run wild, she discovers the downside of adulthood Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 45m runtime, released in 1991 with an average rating of 6.2 by 496 people. The movie made an estimated total of $25,196,249 in the box office.

Adventures in Babysitting centers on young characters thrust into wild and unexpected situations due to absent or distracted caregivers, echoing the comedic chaos and resourcefulness seen in Home Alone’s storyline of kids handling emergencies on their own.

When plans with her boyfriend fall through, high school senior Chris Parker ends up babysitting the Anderson kids, Brad and Sara. What should be a quiet night in, however, turns into a series of ridiculous exploits, starting when they leave the house to pick up Chris' friend Brenda. Soon, Brad's buddy Daryl is involved, and the group must contend with car thieves, blues musicians and much more. Adventures in Babysitting is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 42m runtime, released in 1987 with an average rating of 6.9 by 769 people. The movie made an estimated total of $34,368,475 in the box office.

The Young Offenders features youthful protagonists navigating trouble and getting into misadventures, drawing on a similar dynamic of humor and rebellious spirit found in stories like Home Alone, where young characters face challenges with spirited determination.

Two teenage boys from inner-city Cork steal bicycles and ride off on a 160km quest to find an unrecovered bale of cocaine worth 7,000,000 euros. The Young Offenders is a movie from Ireland in English, with a total 1h 24m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 7.0 by 234 people.

Dennis the Menace revolves around the antics of a mischievous young boy whose pranks lead to comic mayhem, paralleling Home Alone’s playful tone and focus on a clever child outsmarting adults in a suburban setting.

Mr. Wilson's ever-present annoyance comes in the form of one mischievous kid named Dennis. But he'll need Dennis's tricks to uncover a collection of gold coins that go missing when a shady drifter named Switchblade Sam comes to town. Dennis the Menace is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 36m runtime, released in 1993 with an average rating of 5.9 by 1,617 people. The movie made an estimated total of $117,270,765 in the box office.

Catch That Kid, like Home Alone, puts kids at the center of an elaborate scheme involving clever tactics, as child protagonists take on adult-sized challenges, underlining themes of youthful ingenuity in the face of danger or adversity.

A determined twelve-year-old mountain climber takes drastic action to save her injured father by planning a high-stakes bank heist, using her skills and teamwork to navigate the challenge. Catch That Kid is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 32m runtime, released in 2004 with an average rating of 5.6 by 328 people. The movie made an estimated total of $16,951,702 in the box office.

House Arrest revolves around children who inadvertently gain control over their home environment in the absence of responsible adults, resulting in comedic situations that reflect the spirit of independence and resourceful problem-solving central to Home Alone.

High-schooler Grover Beindorf and his younger sister Stacy decide that their parents, Janet and Ned, are acting childishly when they decide to divorce after 18 years of marriage, so they lock them up in the basement until they'll sort out their problems. House Arrest is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 49m runtime, released in 1996 with an average rating of 5.4 by 143 people.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day deals with family mishaps and young protagonists navigating a day gone wrong, drawing comedic value from children’s efforts to manage chaos, a theme closely related to the tone and structure of Home Alone.

Alexander's day begins with gum stuck in his hair, followed by more calamities. Though he finds little sympathy from his family and begins to wonder if bad things only happen to him, his mom, dad, brother, and sister all find themselves living through their own terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 21m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 6.2 by 1,431 people. The movie made an estimated total of $100,654,149 in the box office.

MouseHunt presents a story of slapstick conflict and escalating chaos within a household, as its protagonists face off against an elusive opponent using inventive traps, much like the housebound booby traps in Home Alone.

Down-on-their luck brothers, Lars and Ernie Smuntz, aren't happy with the crumbling old mansion they inherit... until they discover the estate is worth millions. Before they can cash in, they have to rid the house of its single, stubborn occupant—a tiny and tenacious mouse. MouseHunt is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 38m runtime, released in 1997 with an average rating of 6.5 by 1,385 people. The movie made an estimated total of $122,417,389 in the box office.

Problem Child features a young character whose antics lead to outlandish and comedic situations, echoing Home Alone’s focus on a resourceful, troublemaking kid contending with challenging adults in a suburban setting.

Ben Healy and his social climbing wife Flo adopt fun-loving seven year old Junior. But they soon discover he's a little monster as he turns a camping trip, a birthday party and even a baseball game into comic nightmares. Problem Child is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 21m runtime, released in 1990 with an average rating of 6.2 by 933 people. The movie made an estimated total of $72,000,000 in the box office.

Richie Rich's Christmas Wish highlights a young protagonist facing unforeseen circumstances over the holiday season, with themes of family and childhood ingenuity aligning it with the spirit and setting of Home Alone.

After getting blamed for spoiling Christmas, the richest kid in the world wishes he'd never been born. Unfortunately, a wishing machine, invented by professor Keenbean, picked up the wish and made it come true. Now Richie finds himself in a parallel world where his only hope is to find professor Keenbean and the wishing machine so he can wish things back to normal. Richie Rich's Christmas Wish is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 24m runtime, released in 1998 with an average rating of 4.8 by 112 people.

Baby's Day Out, like Home Alone, centers on a child navigating the adult world alone and outsmarting inept criminals, mixing physical comedy and family-friendly adventure centered on youth outwitting grown-ups.

Baby Bink couldn't ask for more: he has adoring (if somewhat sickly-sweet) parents, lives in a huge mansion, and he's just about to appear in the social pages of the paper. Unfortunately, not everyone in the world is as nice as Baby Bink's parents—especially the three enterprising kidnappers who pretend to be photographers from the newspaper. Successfully kidnapping Baby Bink, they have a harder time keeping hold of the rascal, who not only keeps one step ahead of them, but seems to be more than a little bit smarter than the three bumbling criminals. Baby's Day Out is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 39m runtime, released in 1994 with an average rating of 6.4 by 1,485 people. The movie made an estimated total of $16,671,505 in the box office.

The Little Rascals showcases a group of children whose schemes and camaraderie result in comedic mishaps, focusing on childhood independence and group problem-solving, akin to the mischievous resourcefulness found in Home Alone.

When nine-year-old Alfalfa falls for Darla, his "He-Man-Woman-Hating" friends attempt to sabotage their relationship. The Little Rascals is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 22m runtime, released in 1994 with an average rating of 6.8 by 1,348 people. The movie made an estimated total of $67,308,282 in the box office.

Agent Cody Banks features a youthful lead unexpectedly drawn into high-stakes situations, paralleling Home Alone’s premise of a child navigating danger while relying on creativity and courage to overcome adult adversaries.

Recruited by the U.S. government to be a special agent, nerdy teenager Cody Banks must get closer to cute classmate Natalie in order to learn about an evil plan hatched by her father. But despite the agent persona, Cody struggles with teen angst. Agent Cody Banks is a movie from Canada in English, with a total 1h 42m runtime, released in 2003 with an average rating of 5.5 by 1,184 people. The movie made an estimated total of $58,795,814 in the box office.

The Kid centers on a young character experiencing personal growth and adventure, operating in a world largely unsupervised by adults, reflecting a journey of independence and self-discovery present in Home Alone.

Powerful businessman Russ Duritz is self-absorbed and immersed in his work. But by the magic of the moon, he meets Rusty, a chubby, charming 8-year-old version of himself who can't believe he could turn out so badly – with no life and no dog. With Rusty's help, Russ is able to reconcile the person he used to dream of being with the man he's actually become. The Kid is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 2000 with an average rating of 6.8 by 1,155 people. The movie made an estimated total of $110,317,580 in the box office.

Nanny McPhee weaves a tale of unruly children learning lessons through magical misadventures in the absence of conventional parental guidance, reminiscent of the playful and transformative experience of youth depicted in Home Alone.

Widower Cedric Brown hires Nanny McPhee to care for his seven rambunctious children, who have chased away all previous nannies. Taunted by Simon and his siblings, Nanny McPhee uses mystical powers to instill discipline. And when the children's great-aunt and benefactor, Lady Adelaide Stitch, threatens to separate the kids, the family pulls together under the guidance of Nanny McPhee. Nanny McPhee is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 37m runtime, released in 2005 with an average rating of 6.7 by 3,252 people. The movie made an estimated total of $123,276,807 in the box office.

The Cat in the Hat centers on a chaotic visit that turns an ordinary day at home upside down for the children involved, echoing Home Alone’s themes of childhood autonomy and unpredictable home-based adventures.

During a rainy day, and while their mother is out, Conrad and Sally, and their pet fish, are visited by the mischievous Cat in the Hat. Fun soon turns to mayhem, and the siblings must figure out how to rid themselves of the maniacal Cat. The Cat in the Hat is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 22m runtime, released in 2003 with an average rating of 5.4 by 1,839 people. The movie made an estimated total of $133,800,000 in the box office.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid follows the comedic misadventures of a school-aged protagonist dealing with family and growing pains, creating humor through the lens of youthful perspective, a tone and approach evident in Home Alone.

Greg Heffley is headed for big things, but first he has to survive the scariest, most humiliating experience of any kid’s life – middle school! That won’t be easy, considering he’s surrounded by hairy-freckled morons, wedgie-loving bullies and a moldy slice of cheese with nuclear cooties! Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 32m runtime, released in 2010 with an average rating of 6.3 by 1,793 people. The movie made an estimated total of $75,700,000 in the box office.

The Pacifier brings its focus to children left in unconventional care, producing family-friendly chaos and humor as young characters test boundaries in ways that recall the independence and playful spirit of Home Alone.

Navy SEAL Shane Wolfe is handed a new assignment: Protect the five Plummer kids from enemies of their recently deceased father -- a government scientist whose top-secret experiment remains hidden in the kids' house. The Pacifier is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 35m runtime, released in 2005 with an average rating of 6.1 by 3,299 people. The movie made an estimated total of $198,636,868 in the box office.

The Goonies revolves around a group of children embarking on an unsupervised adventure filled with obstacles and creative solutions, similarly highlighting youthful bravery and ingenuity as central components, much like in Home Alone.

Young teen Mikey Walsh and his friends set off on a quest to find Pirate One-Eyed Willie's treasure in hopes of saving their homes from demolition. However, on their quest to find the treasure, they run into a family of recently escaped criminals, determined to capture the kids and reach the treasure first. The Goonies is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 54m runtime, released in 1985 with an average rating of 7.5 by 6,306 people. The movie made an estimated total of $69,649,283 in the box office.

Harriet the Spy showcases a proactive child protagonist engaging in clever schemes and investigations, centering on independence and curiosity, themes that run parallel to the inventive resourcefulness found in Home Alone.

Harriet may only be in the sixth grade, but she's already found her calling: to be a spy. In a private journal she takes everywhere, Harriet records suspicious activity and keeps a running list of observations on virtually everyone she knows. It seems harmless enough until, one day, someone finds the journal and exposes Harriet's critical thoughts about her classmates. Suddenly, even her best friends are against her, and Harriet resolves to take revenge. Harriet the Spy is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 41m runtime, released in 1996 with an average rating of 6.1 by 204 people. The movie made an estimated total of $26,600,000 in the box office.

Matilda features a clever and resilient child using her wit to outmaneuver oblivious adults in her life, mirroring Home Alone’s narrative focus on child empowerment and imaginative problem-solving in the face of adversity.

Matilda Wormwood is an brilliant and intelligent little girl. Unfortunately, her parents, Harry and Zinnia, fail to see that fact. As time passes, she finally starts school and has a kind teacher, loyal friends, and a terrifying, sadistic headmistress. As she becomes fed up with the constant cruelty, she discovers she has a special gift that she just might be able to use to outwit the unruly adults around her. Matilda is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 38m runtime, released in 1996 with an average rating of 7.2 by 4,868 people. The movie made an estimated total of $33,500,000 in the box office.

Summer Wars involves young characters who must act decisively during a family crisis, highlighting child agency and initiative, themes consistent with those in Home Alone where youthful determination comes to the fore during unexpected challenges.

Teenage math whiz Kenji Koiso agrees to take a summer job at the Nagano hometown of his crush, Natsuki. When he arrives, he finds that her family have reunited to celebrate the 90th birthday of their matriarch. His job: pretend to be Natsuki's fiancé. Meanwhile, his attempt to solve a mathematical equation causes a parallel world's collision with Earth. Summer Wars is a movie from Japan in Japanese, with a total 1h 54m runtime, released in 2009 with an average rating of 7.5 by 1,052 people. The movie made an estimated total of $18,434,328 in the box office.

Sky High centers around youthful protagonists discovering their strengths and facing challenges at a young age, capturing the blend of family-friendly humor and the coming-of-age experiences also seen in Home Alone.

Set in a world where superheroes are commonly known and accepted, young Will Stronghold, the son of the Commander and Jetstream, tries to find a balance between being a normal teenager and an extraordinary being. Sky High is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 40m runtime, released in 2005 with an average rating of 6.3 by 2,498 people. The movie made an estimated total of $86,369,815 in the box office.

Jack Frost depicts holiday-themed family dynamics and a young protagonist coping with unique circumstances at home, reflecting the seasonal spirit and focus on childhood adaptation amid life changes present in Home Alone.

A father who can't keep his promises dies in a car accident. One year later, he returns as a snowman, who has one final chance to put things right with his son before he is gone forever. Jack Frost is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 41m runtime, released in 1998 with an average rating of 6.0 by 1,236 people. The movie made an estimated total of $34,562,925 in the box office.

A Simple Wish centers on a child protagonist dealing with magical misadventures and taking matters into her own hands, echoing the inventive problem-solving and humorous family tone that characterize Home Alone.

Murray is a male fairy godmother, and he is trying to help 8-year-old Anabel to fulfil her "simple wish" - that her father Oliver, who is a cab driver, would win the leading role in a Broadway musical. Unfortunately, Murray's magic wand is broken and the fairies convention is threatened by evil witches Claudia and Boots. A Simple Wish is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 29m runtime, released in 1997 with an average rating of 5.5 by 177 people. The movie made an estimated total of $8,345,056 in the box office.

Mom and Dad Save the World shares a comedic premise grounded in family members thrown into outlandish situations, using absurdity and familial bonds to drive its story, connecting with Home Alone’s comedic approach to family-centric chaos.

Emperor Spengo sees Marge Nelson and using a giant magnet, kidnaps her and her husband Dick, hoping to make Marge his before blowing up the Earth. The Emperor and other inhabitants of his planet are somewhat less than bright, and Dick begins reliving episodes of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers in order to rescue Marge, save the Earth, and restore the rightful emperor to the throne. Mom and Dad Save the World is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 28m runtime, released in 1992 with an average rating of 4.9 by 87 people. The movie made an estimated total of $2,000,000 in the box office.

Heavyweights spotlights kids experiencing newfound independence and overcoming adult antagonists in a humorous setting, paralleling Home Alone’s themes of youthful resistance and group camaraderie amidst disorder.

Camp Hope is a summer retreat for overweight boys run by a kindly couple who make the campers feel comfortable with their extra pounds. But when tyrannical fitness guru Tony buys the camp, he puts the kids on a cruel regimen that goes too far. Sick of the endless weeks of "all work and no play," the kids stage a coup and reclaim their summer of fun. Heavyweights is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 37m runtime, released in 1995 with an average rating of 6.2 by 423 people. The movie made an estimated total of $17,700,000 in the box office.

The Parent Trap focuses on young protagonists taking initiative to influence their family situation, reflecting Home Alone’s themes of children acting independently and strategizing to resolve family issues.

Hallie Parker and Annie James are identical twins who were separated at a young age due to their parents' divorce. Unbeknownst to their parents, the girls are sent to the same summer camp, where they meet, discover the truth about their relationship, and come up with a plan to switch places in an effort to reunite their mother and father. The Parent Trap is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 8m runtime, released in 1998 with an average rating of 7.2 by 4,583 people. The movie made an estimated total of $92,108,518 in the box office.