Elf Movie Review

Elf (2003)

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Written by: David Berenbaum
Directed by: Jon Favreau
Starring: Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Edward Asner, Mary Steenburgen, Zooey Deschanel, Faizon Love, Peter Dinklage, Amy Sedaris
Rated: PG
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Plot
After discovering he is a human, a man raised as an elf at the North Pole decides to travel to New York City to locate his real father.

Verdict
This is one of those movies that if you see in your youth it sticks with you. I just never managed to see it in my youth. This is a silly, almost stupid movie, but I get why people love it. It combines the fervor of reverent Christmas animation movies with the cheesiness of live action  dramas. Ferrell is great as an oversized elf that just wants to gain his dad's love. When Santa needs help, Buddy the elf is the only man sized elf that can help.
Watch it.

Review
Buddy really loves Christmas because he was raised as an elf. Buddy never realized he was actually a human. Upon learning the news he decides to find his father.

Will Ferrell plays Buddy.

His fervor for Christmas is a turn off to many around him, but Buddy has a way of winning people over because he's genuine. The movie doesn't explain why Buddy is an adult man with the mindset of a six year old, but that plays into the gags in the movie. Buddy sees the world as some kind of alien, everything we take for granted, amazes him.

Ferrell carries the movie as an oversized elf. He's energetic and overenthusiastic, completely in love with Christmas and all things Santa. He's certainly quotable, and his humor ranges from silly to stupid.

Will Ferrell and James Caan.

The ending comes together really well with Buddy's female friend Joovie helping to generate the Christmas spirit required to help Santa's sleigh fly. Even Buddy's bah humbug father begins to sing.

It's a dumb movie, but better than a lot of the other Christmas offerings. It's funny enough that a rewatch wouldn't even be boring.