Barrister shares hilarious legal analysis of 'Home Alone 2'
Who can forget 1992’s Christmas classic Home Alone 2? The Macaulay Culkin-starring sequel sees young Kevin lost and alone in New York and even features a cameo from the current US president Donald Trump.
But now ‘The Secret Barrister‘ on Twitter has spun a new angle on the feel-good family movie. The anonymous lawyer claims that Kevin actually commits many crimes in the movie, and if tried in the court of law for his wrong deeds – he could actually face up to four years behind bars.
In a tongue-in-cheek tweet thread the lawyer tweets a lengthy ‘lecture’ on all the laws Kevin breaks in the film through the ‘lens of English and Welsh law’ and ‘assuming Kevin is of criminal responsibility.’
He begins by outlining the sequel’s plot: “In Home Alone, Kevin’s family flew to Paris for Christmas and forgot him. Oops.” And then precedes to list the various laws the young lad breaks in surprisingly minute detail.
First up Kevin breaks a law before he even sets foot in New York. Within the first few minutes of the film he is shown recording Uncle Frank in the shower, which as The Secret Barrister remarks, could be considered voyeurism.
And we’re off! Uncle Frank is in the shower! Kevin’s recording him! It’s voyeurism! Strike one! Frank is fully entitled to be livid.
— The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) December 22, 2018
And he couldn’t seem to help poking fun at President Trump’s cameo at The Plaza Hotel. Clearly mocking the alleged crimes that have mounted against Trump since he has been elected president, The Secret Barrister declares: ‘TREASON! SEXUAL ASSAULT! FRAUD!’ and even ‘God bless his chubby little pervert toes.’
They’re in the Plaza! Offences galore!
TREASON!
SEXUAL ASSAULT!
FRAUD!
CORRUPTION!
Yup, it’s the Donald Trump cameo. God bless his chubby little pervert toes.
— The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) December 22, 2018
Then comes Kevin’s first official crime. By securing a stay at The Plaza Hotel he is committing fraud through false representation, but The Secret Barrister believes Tim Curry’s hotel manager character and his fellow hotel staff only have themselves to blame and he takes a dig at the current Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, who was secretary of state for justice from 2012 to 2015.
Kevin is now committing fraud by false representation (s1 Fraud Act 2006) to secure a suite at the Plaza. Frankly, Tim Curry and his band of ninnies only have themselves to blame. Their security protocols were presumably designed by Chris Grayling.
— The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) December 22, 2018
But it’s not only Kevin who breaks the law. According to The Secret Barrister almost every character featured breaks it in some manner or another.
Now it’s the ‘bandits’ turn – aka Harry (Joe Pesci) and Merv (Daniel Stern) who by planning a burglary could face up to ten years in prison in the UK. But their crimes hardly stop here, as they debate how they intend to kill Kevin – clearly with the intention to commit murder.
Joe Pesci and Marv are openly discussing killing Kevin. This is veering towards conspiracy to murder territory. Which all seems so unnecessary. They could have just ignored him and got on with their burglary. I bet they’ll look back and regret this.
— The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) December 22, 2018
Back to Kevin, he commits yet another crime by throwing a brick through a shop window. The Secret Barrister can’t see how ‘a charge of criminal damage’ could be avoidable.
Kevin sets off the shop alarm by throwing a brick through the window. In the absence of a defence of necessity, there being other options open to Kevin – namely calling the police – I can’t see how we avoid a charge of criminal damage.
— The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) December 22, 2018
And as the credits roll in, he summarises all of the crimes committed by multiple characters throughout the film. He concludes that Kevin, despite being the film’s hero, would legally be bound to at least a four year prison sentence. And in addition to their burglary charges, Harry and Merv would be up for an additional 30 years to life in prison.
For two counts of attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm with intent, Kevin, with the heavy mitigation of youth and the fact that he was, after all, being threatened by madmen, will nevertheless be found dangerous. Extended sentence of detention of 4 years plus 4.
— The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) December 22, 2018
With over 4k retweets, several readers have also turned sleuths themselves and commented on additional crimes they noticed.
For example, one user asked The Secret Barrister if Kevin’s mum slapping Tim Curry’s character was an offence – to which he agreed it most certainly was.
YES. I couldn’t type quickly enough, but she absolutely committed a battery (s39 Criminal Justice Act 1988).
— The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) 22 December 2018
The Secret Barrister remains an anonymous figure, despite publishing a bestselling book The Secret Lawyer: Stories of the Law and How It’s Broken.
Read more
Macaulay Culkin reprises Home Alone role
What happened to Macaulay Culkin’s career?
Home Alone fans uncover surprising new detail