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Macaulay Culkin is 'Home Alone' again in bandit-free Google Assistant commercial

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By Adrian Diaconescu

Published: Dec 19, 2018, 3:03 PM

Have you ever wondered how the classic 1990 Christmas comedy “Home Alone” and its (way too) many sequels would play out in the modern era of home automation? As if the “Sticky Bandits” hilariously portrayed by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern didn’t suffer enough in their mismatched battle of wits with Hollywood whiz kid Macaulay Culkin, today’s technology could have made it that much easier for young Kevin McCallister to prevail.

An all-grown-up Macaulay Culkin doesn’t even need to use his hands to get shaving assistance (this time for real), as well as set reminders, and fend off old foes in a brilliant new Google commercial.

The 60-second ad starts with a pretty familiar premise, as “Kevin” wakes up home alone yet again... before remembering a “house to himself” event was already on the schedule.

Using a Google Home Hub smart display, Pixel 3 phone, Home Mini smart speaker, Nest Cam Outdoor security camera, Nest Learning Thermostat, and a bunch of other Google Assistant-supporting smart home accessories, Culkin manages to relax, get plenty of stuff done, and even put “operation Kevin” in motion while referencing a number of iconic scenes and lines from the surprise box office hit that propelled the former child actor to global fame nearly three decades ago.

Basically, Google seems to have hit the advertising jackpot here, delivering an entertaining, timely, nostalgia-evoking commercial that highlights the strengths of its products efficiently and in a non-intrusive way.

The only thing that could have made this better is a Joe Pesci cameo. Or at least a surprise appearance by recent Golden Globe nominee Kieran Culkin. Oh, well, there’s always next year.

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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.

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