MovieChat Forums > Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) Discussion > I Have Two Major Problems With This Movi...

I Have Two Major Problems With This Movie

posted 8 years ago by FattyMcButterpants
34 replies | jump to latest

1) When Kevin impresses the rich owner of the Toy Store in their first encounter, the rich owner, as a generous gesture, tells Kevin to pick any gift from the tree he wants and he can have it. Well, the problem is, in that vast, awesome toy store that had everything a kid could imagine, the choices on that tree were about as crappy of gifts you could imagine. Seriously, a bunch of cheap plastic ornaments with no entertainment value whatsoever. Gee, great gift for a 10 year old Mr. Rich Toy Store Owner.

2) The rich toy store owner then practically forces Kevin to choose those Turtle Doves, probably because he has a massive box of them in Inventory that he cant sell because they suck so bad, and tells Kevin to give one to someone very special so they will always have that connection with each other.

The problem is, Kevin then goes out and gives it to a crazy old homeless lady with a bird fetish who lives in the park. So apparently THIS is the lifelong friend he will always have his turtle dove connection with. Im sure his parents are going to LOVE that. Nothing like befriending the mentally ill riff raff of the world. Im sure next Christmas she and Kevin are exchanging Christmas cards and phone calls retelling the tales of how she spent that freezing cold night in the park last Christmas while Kevin and his 18 relatives were cramming into that warm suite across the street at the Plaza ordering $1,400 in room service.

But hey, at least he woke up on Christmas and ran across the street to the park to give her that awesome turtle dove! Im sure she preferred that to a hot meal or a blanket!

[–] AmyJolamb 8 years ago

How do you know these are cheap plastic ornaments? They look nicer than that to me. There are ornaments out there that are worth $50 or more. They are way more than cheap plastic.

[–] FattyMcButterpants 8 years ago

How do you know these are cheap plastic ornaments? They look nicer than that to me. There are ornaments out there that are worth $50 or more. They are way more than cheap plastic.

I have eyes.

[–] NobodymournstheWicked 8 years ago

It doesn't seem to me that you don't have two problems with this movie you have one problem with it. And the big problem you have is what you got for his donation. I hardly say he was forced, if you remember he pointed out the tree and even asked to make a suggestion. And you only donated $20.00 so what do you want him to get a new car? A car is worth a lot more then 20 dollars or at least the last time I checked. Or at least get to pick out something for free on the store shelves like he pledged money to a tv or radio station, like a local PBS tv station or a local NPR radio station that does a pledge drive at least a good few times a year like say 4. Plus he also suggested to Kevin to give one of the two turtledoves to a very special person, and she did help him escape the buglars just like Old Man Marley did in the first movie. Through as far as I am aware of they didn't swap numbers, and how could Kevin have a phone number for her when she was homeless and this came out prior to the days of cell phones

[–] Modchic84 8 years ago

It's a film and Kevin and bird lady are film characters and therefore don't have the opportunity of keeping in touch or benefiting from the turtle doves. The turtle doves were for the benefit of the viewer and his/her sense of romance, and as a viewer I'd say they served their purpose.

This was funny though, well done.

Noone I think is in my tree, I mean it must be high or low

[–] Phoenix_07 8 years ago

The problem is, Kevin then goes out and gives it to a crazy old homeless lady with a bird fetish who lives in the park. So apparently THIS is the lifelong friend he will always have his turtle dove connection with. Im sure his parents are going to LOVE that. Nothing like befriending the mentally ill riff raff of the world. Im sure next Christmas she and Kevin are exchanging Christmas cards and phone calls retelling the tales of how she spent that freezing cold night in the park last Christmas while Kevin and his 18 relatives were cramming into that warm suite across the street at the Plaza ordering $1,400 in room service.

But hey, at least he woke up on Christmas and ran across the street to the park to give her that awesome turtle dove! I'm sure she preferred that to a hot meal or a blanket!

Wow, I suggest you stay away from feel-good family films then if you are looking way too much into it.

The homeless lady was in no way crazy or mentally ill. She was shown to be really kind hearted and was just minding her own business. Look at Kevin's family. A bunch of rich, spoiled brats. It must be nice for Kevin to get away from all of that and finally meet someone who actually appreciates him.

The point of them being friends was that they are from different worlds but can still find a connection, and while those turtle doves may seem like pieces of cheap plastic, they are meant to show that Kevin and her met at some point in their lives and made a difference in each other. He showed her that she can still open her heart even tho it's been hurt.

She also knows or has some idea that Kevin comes from a rich family, but did you see her begging him for money or food? No. She simply didn't ask. Looks like she was doing fine on her own.

Anyways, that's just my two cents.

[–] volkstraum 8 years ago

Those tree ornaments looked like fine porcelain. Something in your corn-fed bumpkin existence I'm sure you never laid your eyes on.

"I can't help but notice that there are skulls all over everything. Are we the baddies?"

[–] WeDidntBurnHim 8 years ago

In fairness, she DID save his life...

What's going on? What's all this shouting? We'll have no trouble here...

[–] Alice-Morgan 8 years ago

That is a major problem? Lol, of all the unrealistic things in this movie...
It's fine, he is giving him something with more meaning he can give to his mother or somebody else, or keep it.
The universe isn’t evil, John, it’s just indifferent.

[–] Katiedidd 8 years ago

I found your post pretty hilarious, and it definitely has merit. I guess we're alone with this! (Based on your username, I'd say we have similar tastes in sitcoms too.) I thought much the same thing your wrote in your OP when I saw HA2 in the theatre as a kid. Of course, the old lady storyline was merely a recreation of Kevin befriending the "scary neighbor" in the original... typical sequel tactic. Done better in the original, and yeah, what was the deal with getting those turtle doves? Just what a kid wants! Why thank you, "F.A.O Schwarz!" Of course, it was just leading up to a plot device so he could give it to crazy bird lady.

And yes, I get it... she was not crazy. We're supposed to supend disbelief and have her be the only longtime street person in history without substance abuse or mental illness. I get it. Sweet old lady, down on her luck. Kevin befriends her with a later, symbolic gesture of turtle doves.... Teheeeee. However, the OP is technically right.

[–] NobodymournstheWicked 8 years ago

I don't know why you think the original poster's post to be hilarious. To me and I wrote this in my reply that they didn't have 2 problems with this move, they only had 1 very big problem. And somewhere in there, wanted Kevin to get something big for a $20 donation, and I said like what a new car? And last time I checked they are way worth more then 20 dollars? And where would he get a new car from, since to the best of my knewedgle New Yorkers do a lot of walking. You see a lot of walking in this movie, and even in his movie Super Size Me Morgon Spurlock confirmed that New Yorkers do a lot of walking.

[–] Katiedidd 8 years ago

I don't know why you think the original poster's post to be hilarious.

I found it hilarious because what he wrote was ultimately true (outside of movie-land), and he said it in a humorous way.

To me and I wrote this in my reply that they didn't have 2 problems with this move, they only had 1 very big problem.

Yep, I read your reply before posting mine. The OP had "one problem" if it was simply "a turtle dove" problem, but the poster had two problems related to the turtle doves: Kevin getting them over any other gift and the hapless homeless lady, who got one of the doves. I decided not to major in math, but I count that as two problems.

And somewhere in there, wanted Kevin to get something big for a $20 donation, and I said like what a new car? And last time I checked they are way worth more then 20 dollars? And where would he get a new car from, since to the best of my knewedgle New Yorkers do a lot of walking. You see a lot of walking in this movie, and even in his movie Super Size Me Morgon Spurlock confirmed that New Yorkers do a lot of walking.

Wow, you really like to use the car alternative... to a fault. We went from why Kevin didn't get a gift as extravagant as a car to discussing how New Yorkers don't really drive, as "Supersize Me" said.
Now that is hilarious. Cheers.

[–] NobodymournstheWicked 8 years ago

Well I guess we can say that we disagree about the issues of the op having 2 problems with the movie, and you can't make me change my mind, he or she only has 1 major problem. How can you say you have 2 problems with a movie, when they are pretty much the same thing? And I bet you don't want to re-explain to me everything you had posted above, so please don't. Well I am still glad that you find the original post's to be funny, but I guess you can take it from me, that his/her post is so funny that I forgot how to laugh. Do you have a problem with me using the car alternative to a fault? And pretty much these 2 movies prove that New Yorkers walk every where, since in neither movie you don't see them deriving a car, even through a couple of taxis are seen, and a police car, but neither of which are really seen in New York in Supersize Me, if through you do see Morgan Spurlock in a car, but that is pretty much when he was on the road.

[–] Katiedidd 8 years ago

You're definitely right about New York City residents, particularly Manhattanites, in that they do not tend to own cars, and they tend to walk more than most people in other parts of the country. I'm from the west coast, and I love using walking as my primary source of transportation when I'm in big cities, and I've considered eventually moving to NYC, where one of the perks to me is living somewhere where owning a car is not necessary.

The main reason why I have considered the OP having two main "problems" with this film is because I personally agree with one of them but not the other. Call it, two sides of the same arguement, if you'd rather, but truth be told, I don't think the gift of those turtle doves was silly. The part of the OP I agreed with related to the homeless woman, including the gift of the turtle doves. It was a sweet subplot for a family movie, but when really analyzing it, the OP had a point with their "second problem" with this film. One has to ultimately suspend disbelief to not critique the homeless-lady side-plot, but at face value, it was a sweet portrayal.

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] FattyMcButterpants 8 years ago

Oh I promise, I had two legit problems, not just one. As someone who was at one time a 9 year old boy who loved Toy Stores, I can promise you "turtle doves" would be among the last things I would want from that glorious palace of adolescent fantasies. Go find me a robot or a remote controlled car!

But yeah, my main issue was really that the homeless lady is going to be his soulmate and turtle dove partner forever. And the irony and humor of Kevin waking up on Christmas morning, after spending $1,400 on room service at the fanciest hotel in town, only to run across the street and give the homeless woman standing in the snow a "turtle dove", is not lost on me.

Being that Kevin enjoys torturing adults so much in these movies, perhaps this gift is a little psychological warfare he is playing with this Homeless woman:

"Hey bird lady, I know it's cold out here and you have no food or anyone to spend Christmas with, but I wanted to come by and give you this awesome plastic turtle dove before I went back into my hotel suite and finished my $1,400 ice cream sundae. Hopefully this will always remind you of me when you are fighting off the hypothermia during winter and wondering where your next meal will come from. I've got to go now, my family and I are flying back to our million dollar house in a perfect Chicago neighborhood soon..."

[–] NobodymournstheWicked 8 years ago

Sorry to say that I don't believe you, since clearly you had two problems that were the same thing over again and why is it that only I am the only one that has an issue with it? What''s wrong with the bird lady being his soul mate, I mean it is not like Kevin is going to marry her, and plus the fact is he is too young to get married and even without parent or guardian's permission? And when was the last time you have her of a 10 year old kid getting married anyways? The only adults he does it to all his family members that are mean to him, or anybody that is mean to him and of course the Wet/Sticky Bandits.

[–] FattyMcButterpants 8 years ago

Sorry to say that I don't believe you, since clearly you had two problems that were the same thing over again and why is it that only I am the only one that has an issue with it?

Clearly you are mathematically challenged, so let me spell it out to you like a 6 year old:

1) Problem #1- turtle doves are a crappy gift to give a kid from a toy store.

2) Problem #2- a homeless lady becomes his soul mate.

You see, those are two different issue. Not one, not three, not four, but two! I even numbered them for you. Hope that helps.

[–] NobodymournstheWicked 8 years ago

Okay you smart ass which you really are I don't know what to have this fight with you, until today I had forgotten this post even existed, and guess what and that is what I want to have happen. You can't get me to change my mind anymore then I can get to change your mind. You are dumb enough to call me mathematically challenged, when your the one that acting like you are the one that is mathematically challenged. You claimed you have tow major issues with the movie, and yet I only seen one major issue that you repeated a second time. What is wrong if he has a homeless woman for a soulmate do we we even know if Kevin has any friends his own age that he could give it, and he won't be able to since he is in New York City, and you don't see him becoming friends with any kids his own age in New York City.

Let me give you advice don't post to other people what you don't like getting posted back to you, do you even know what I could really be like. If you don't like me calling you a smart ass which you are really trying to be, then do you think I liked reading you calling me mathematically challenged. If I ran into you annd I knew who you are, i could hurt you if I wanted to and no witness are around. Don't reply back to this message let's drop this thing once in for all, if you can't do what I am requesting then I guess it shows what you truly are.

[–] FattyMcButterpants 8 years ago

LOL, what? What a bizarre post. As incoherent as it was at times, I got two points out of it.

1) You still can't count to two.

2) Did you just threaten me? LOL.

If I ran into you annd I knew who you are, i could hurt you if I wanted to and no witness are around.



[–] Katiedidd 8 years ago

Oh I promise, I had two legit problems, not just one.

Did you mean to reply to me?. I totally agree with you. If you see my posts above, I'm the one that said it was legitimately two issues (and valid ones, at that). I just didn't focus on Kevin getting that silly gift too much, but him giving it to Bird Lady? My gosh, yes. Even as a kid, I thought how cheesy it was that it was supposed to be a touching moment, but she's left with those and that's supposed to make Kevin and she have some grand connection? While he prances off into his perfect penthouse hotel room with an extravegant Christmas and then back to his cushy life? What a laugh.

I get that many suspend disbelief or even take the attitude of, "it's just a movie," but that's too easy to me; a movie can still miss the mark, and message boards are all about being able to critique. It doesn't even mean I'm trying to be pretentious and trash a film--heck, I still watch this near the holidays for nostalgia--but nothing wrong noticing the silly parts! And you nailed them, and it's entertaining to read how you put it.

[–] FattyMcButterpants 8 years ago

No, I didnt mean to explicitly reply to you, I just replied to the last message. I know you and I are on the same page on this.

[–] Katiedidd 8 years ago

Oh, okay. I gotcha, "Fatty McButterpants." :)

[–] louiseculmer 8 years ago

Do we know that she is homeless? just because she spends time in the park doesn't necessarily mean she hasn't got a home. And at any rate, she is not a beggar. She doesn't ask him for anything.

[–] NobodymournstheWicked 8 years ago

I would think that it would be pretty obvious that she would be homeless, as since as she talks it sounds like she doesn't have a job, a home or a family at the preset time. And even since she always wore the same outfit how would she even have a change of clothes.

[–] Philip_90 8 years ago

More of a single problem, actually.

Kevin donated money and the doves were given to him free of charge so even though he might've given the other dove to the 'wrong' person he did it out of pure friendship. Surely he could've given her some money but instead it was a dove.

Oh well.