By Geno McGahee
Will Ferrell has a mixed track record. He can make fantastic movies like STEP BROTHERS and ANCHOR MAN, but he can also star in unfunny messes like BLADES OF GLORY and SEMI-PRO. When he’s at his best, he can be hilarious. In 2003, he starred in the Christmas movie “ELF”, which was his first big shot at the big screen. He made the most of it and we have a memorable holiday movie that has earned its way into classic status.
Buddy the Elf (Ferrell) was accidentally picked up by Santa (Ed Asner) at an orphanage. Bringing him back to the shop, and not knowing what to do with him, Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) volunteers to raise Buddy as his own and train him as an elf. When Buddy gets older, it becomes obvious that he is far different from the others. His productivity is less and he is far bigger than the others. He is told that he is not an elf and is actually human and his father lives in New York City.
Walter Hobbs (James Caan) is the boss at a book publishing company and his focus in life is to make money and continue to make the company successful. He has a young son, Michael (Daniel Tay), and he feels relatively ignored and lost. His wife, Emily (Mary Steenburgen), balances Walter or tries so.
Buddy heads to NYC and begins turning heads. He is dressed as an elf and when he visits his dad, he gets dragged out of the building. He finds Gimbels Department store, which is all made up for the holiday. When Buddy enters, he is mistaken for one of the workers there in the “North Pole” and happily takes on the position as a working elf in the shop. That is where he meets Jovie (Zooey Deschanel), a tough chick without much patience. The intrusive manner of Buddy isn’t immediately appreciated but the two begin to click.
Refusing to leave Walter alone, Buddy is brought for a DNA test and is proven to be what he says he was. Walter has a son he never knew existed and has now moved him into his apartment with his family. He brings Buddy to work and begins to accept him, but it doesn’t take long for Walter to get furious with him. When Miles Finch (Peter Dinklage) comes to the office to save the company with his amazing ideas, Buddy unknowingly insults him. Finch, a midget, is mistaken for an elf and Buddy asks him if Santa knew that he wasn’t at the North Pole. It’s one of the funniest moments of the film. When Finch gets angrier, Buddy notes that “he’s an angry elf.” A huge opportunity for the company destroyed, Walter disowns Buddy.
Santa makes it to NYC but the sled’s engine breaks and the only way to get it moving is through Christmas spirit. Buddy, Michael and Jovie start spreading joy. Walter comes down and realizes that the season isn’t about money. It’s about family and love and joins in with the group to save the holiday.
ELF is a great holiday movie. The happy and innocent approach that Ferrell used was endearing and funny. James Caan, as always, delivers in the role. He was able to play the role very dramatically and still have this humor. He has mastered that and it was on display here. Steenburgen also brought her great comedic acting to this as she did in another Ferrell movie, STEP BROTHERS. The cast is part of the magic of this film and in the hit or miss career of Will Ferrell, he has a hit here. I recommend it.
Rating: 7/10
