Macaulay Culkin was one of the biggest child stars during the 1990s and gained fame in family comedies and coming-of-age films such as Home Alone, Uncle Buck, and My Girl. Born in New York, Culkin began his acting career at the impressive age of four years old and, after starring in several popular stage productions and earning minor television roles, he made his feature film debut in the 1988 drama, Rocket Gibraltar. Culkin earned his breakthrough role as the mischievous troublemaker, Kevin McCallister in the Christmas classic, Home Alone, and essentially became an overnight sensation.
Culkin continued to star in comedies but also moved into more serious roles, most notably the horror mystery film, The Good Son, alongside fellow child actor and The Lord of the Rings star, Elijah Wood. By the mid-1990s, Culkin was universally recognized for his immense talent and iconic roles, and while he starred in a string of films throughout his career, some brilliantly demonstrate the young star’s vast abilities as a performer, establishing himself as one of the greatest child actors of all time.
8 ‘Richie Rich’ (1994)
Director: Donald Petrie
Culkin stars as the young sophisticated Richie Rich who, despite having everything a kid could ever want in the world, plus devoted parents, doesn’t have very many friends. When his parents are kidnapped, Rich enlists a group of kids to help him find his parents and bring their kidnapper to justice. As they follow the clues and potential suspects, Rich finally finds friendship to fill the void in his life and eventually rescues his parents.
The family comedy, Richie Rich, is based on the classic comic book character by the same name created by Alfred Harvey and Warren Kremer and marked Culkin’s final film as a child actor. Culkin fits effortlessly into the role of the wealthy, cheeky heir who, much like his other film roles, gives a mature but comical performance. Richie Rich was met with mixed reviews, but a majority of critics praised Culkin for his portrayal of the established character. Film critic, Roger Ebert, gave the film three out of four stars, noting how the film featured an authentic style and steered clear of cheap payoffs.
Rent on Amazon Prime
7 ‘The Pagemaster’ (1994)
Directors: Pixote Hunt & John Johnston
Richard Tyler is an overly cautious kid whose fears keep him from enjoying activities and socializing with other kids his age. When Tyler is caught in a severe thunderstorm, he seeks shelter in the local library, where he meets a mysterious librarian, Mr. Dewey (Christopher Lloyd), who tries to encourage him to explore the vast shelves filled with books. Before Tyler can call his parents to pick him up, he slips and falls, waking up to a world full of fantasy, adventure, and horror that changes his life forever.
The Pagemaster is a thrilling live-action animated adventure that also features the voice talents of Whoopi Goldberg, Patrick Stewart, and Leonard Nimoy. The film initially begins as a live-action film, but as Culkin’s character is transported to a world full of classic tales like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Treasure Island, the film turns into an animated spectacle that is simply one of a kind. Voice acting isn’t as easy as some may think and, for a child actor, Culkin is fantastic and continues to consistently convey the formula of his character without becoming lost in the fantasy of the animation.
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6 ‘Home Alone 2: Lost in New York’ (1992)
Director: Chris Columbus
Image via 20th Century Studios
A year after accidentally leaving their son, Kevin, behind at home, the McCallister family has planned to spend Christmas in sunny Florida and even though Kevin manages to make it to the airport, he somehow ends up on the wrong flight and finds himself in New York City. Initially, Kevin is living the dream and surprisingly handles the situation with ease, but when he runs into his old friends and escaped criminals, the Wet Bandits (Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern), his vacation takes a dangerous turn.
Culkin reprises his role as the quick-witted Kevin McCallister in the sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, which also stars Tim Curry in one of his best performances, Rob Schnieder, and Eddie Bracken. While the second film follows almost the same blueprint as the first film, it still takes advantage of a new setting where Culkin’s character has no trouble finding his way around the busy Big Apple. Culkin gives an excellent follow-up performance, still embodying Kevin’s lovable humor and redeeming charm that makes him one of the most memorable film characters of the 1990s.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
One year after Kevin McCallister was left home alone and had to defeat a pair of bumbling burglars, he accidentally finds himself stranded in New York City – and the same criminals are not far behind.
Release Date November 19, 1992
Runtime 120
Watch on Disney+
5 ‘The Good Son’ (1993)
Director: Joseph Ruben
After losing his mother, Mark (Elijah Wood) is sent to live with his aunt and uncle in Maine until his father returns home from a business trip in Japan. While there, Mark spends much of his time with his cousin, Henry, who, by all accounts, appears to be a normal twelve-year-old boy, but when Henry exhibits disturbing behavior, Mark becomes on edge. After a supposed accident on an icy pond with Henry’s little sister, Mark tries to warn his aunt and uncle about Henry before it’s too late.
Culkin takes on an against-type role in the psychological thriller, The Good Son, where he plays a secretly psychopathic child whose unassuming charm and child-like innocence allow him to get away with horrible acts. While Wood and Culkin are a perfect duo of good versus evil, Culkin leaves audiences’ jaw dropped as he delivers a more than convincing performance as a deranged master manipulator, proving his incredible range as a young performer. The Good Son was met with generally negative reviews as many critics detested Culkin for being cast in such a role, but in reality, the actor’s adorable persona is what made his character incredibly complex and believable for viewers.
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4 ‘My Girl’ (1991)
Director: Howard Zieff
Image Via Columbia Pictures
Unlike most kids, tomboy, Vada (Anne Chlumsky) is unusually morbid, which is partially since her mother died giving birth to her and her father (Dan Aykroyd) runs the town’s funeral home. While the other kids have labeled her as a “freak,” Vada’s only friend is a skittish, shy boy, Thomas J. Sennett, who is allergic to literally everything but doesn’t find anything wrong with Vada’s personality and interests. Despite Thomas’ friendship, Vada is typically unkind to him, but as she endures a series of life lessons such as loss and love, she eventually realizes how much Thomas truly means to her.
My Girl is a bittersweet coming-of-age film that features Culkin in one of his best dramatic roles as the bashful Thomas J. Even though Culkin isn’t the film’s main star, he still captivates audiences with his unyielding kindness and acceptance of Chlumsky’s character who fails to see her friend’s utter devotion to her. Despite the film centering around heavy, difficult subjects with a heartbreaking ending, Culkin brings a surprising sense of charisma and magic to the film that makes it purely unforgettable and one of the child star’s finest films.
My Girl
Release Date November 27, 1991
Director Howard Zieff
Runtime 102 Minutes
Main Genre Drama
Rent on AppleTV
3 ‘Saved!’ (2004)
Director: Brian Dannelly
A devout Christian high schooler, Mary (Jena Malone), is devastated when her boyfriend, Dean (Chad Faust), comes out to her and, as she tries to “fix” him by offering him her virginity, she ends up getting pregnant. With Dean sent off to a treatment center to be “cured” and her friends shunning her, she finds comfort in a group of misfit kids at school who end up being her saving grace.
Culkin is all grown up in the dark comedy, Saved!, which also stars Mandy Moore, Mary-Louise Parker, and The Princess Diaries’ star, Heather Matarazzo. The former child star takes on the role of Roland Stockard, a teen who is bound to a wheelchair, but despite the character’s physical limitations, Culkin uses his facial expressions and witty sense of humor to the fullest to forge one of the film’s funniest and most intriguing characters. Overall, the movie earned positive reviews, earning three and a half out of four stars from film critic, Roger Ebert, who noted that despite the fact that Saved! features various traditional tropes of a high school comedy, it still ends on an enlightened note that neither disregards nor glorifies Christian values.
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2 ‘Uncle Buck’ (1989)
Director: John Hughes
Image via Universal Pictures
When parents, Cindy and Bob Russell (Elaine Bromka, Garrett M. Brown) have a family emergency out of town, the only person available to babysit their kids is Bob’s carefree, bachelor brother, Buck (John Candy). Initially, Buck has no problem watching and getting along with the youngest Russell kids, Miles and Maizy (Gaby Hoffman), but his responsibilities as a reliable caregiver are tested by his oldest niece, Tia (Jean Louisa Kelly), who gives him a real dose of a reality check, ultimately changing his life for the better.
Uncle Buck is a heartfelt family comedy directed by John Hughes and demonstrates Culkin’s incredible ability as a comedic performer. To be able to hold his own with a comical force like Candy speaks volumes about the child star’s talents and professional skills. Culkin portrays an overly curious and surprisingly blunt child whose lack of filter makes him an unpredictable character, providing comic relief during the film’s more dramatic, serious moments. Upon its release, Uncle Buck earned mixed reviews, but with a combination of the iconic Hughes, Candy, and Culkin, the film is undeniably an entertaining classic.
Uncle Buck
Uncle Buck stars John Candy as Buck Russell, an eccentric uncle who comes to babysit his brother’s teenage daughter and two younger kids. Macaulay Culkin stars as the young Miles Russell alongside Gabby Hoffmann, and Jean Louisa Kelly. John Hughes directed Uncle Buck, coming off the heels of The Great Outdoors, which also starred John Candy.
Release Date August 16, 1989
Director John Hughes
Runtime 100 minutes
Main Genre Comedy
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1 ‘Home Alone’ (1990)
Director: Chris Columbus
As Kate and Peter McCallister (Catherine O’Hara, John Heard) and their extended family prepare to travel to Paris for Christmas, they make the dire mistake of leaving their 8-year-old son, Kevin, home alone. As his parents panic and try to get back home, Kevin manages to take care of himself while basking in the glory of being alone, but when he realizes two petty thieves, Harry and Marv (Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern), are planning to rob his home, Kevin prepares to fight them off with a series of clever tricks and traps that are a recipe for a hilarious disaster.
Home Alone is a hilarious Christmas classic that essentially launched Culkin’s career as one of the most iconic child stars. Culkin’s performance is without a doubt one of his all-time bests, portraying a surprisingly relatable, smart-mouthed kid who isn’t afraid to speak his mind. The beauty of Culkin’s performance is not only does he have a sneaky, devious side, but he’s also genuinely kind and more considerate towards others than most adults. Initially, Kevin comes off as a bit of an ungrateful brat, but as the film progresses, he redeems himself by realizing his poor behavior and genuinely tries to make up for it. While some critics noted the film’s premise as outlandish, Home Alone is still considered to be a must during the holiday season and reigns as Culkin’s absolute best performance.
Home Alone
An eight-year-old troublemaker, mistakenly left home alone, must defend his home against a pair of burglars on Christmas eve.
Release Date November 16, 1990
Runtime 103 minutes
Main Genre Comedy
Watch on Disney+
KEEP READING: From ‘Home Alone’ to ‘Succession’: 10 Best Culkin Brothers Movies & TV Series