Review of Elf (2003) by Andrew S — 03 Mar 2015

It's not often that a new classic film is created. In many ways I thought that all the best Christmas films had already been made, and there really wasn't any new ground to cover. But then Jon Favreau and Will Ferrell made Elf. There's something magical about this story, and my wife and I have come to the point where we must watch this movie every single year at Christmas time. It's strange because I've never been a fan of the whole Santa thing, and I never would expect that a movie that elevates that story so much would be one of my favorite Christmas films. There's a lot of reasons that Elf works so well for me. The biggest reason is all the jokes they manage to get out of Buddy's lack of knowledge about the real world. When they show him discovering things for the first time it is hilarious, and makes you laugh because we are so desensitized that we don't realize how ridiculous aspects of our world can be until they are seen through a fresh pair of eyes. I also just love the actors they lined up for this film. James Caan is an amazing contrast to Will Ferrell's exuberance. The way he reacts to some of Buddy's antics is so amazing. Bob Newhart is also a fun casting choice because his dry straight-man routine is exactly what you wouldn't expect from an elf. I could just go on and on with names like Zooey Deschanel, Ed Asner, Mary Steenburgen, Peter Dinklage (in the best scene of the movie,) and more! This movie is elevated from good to great just through the cast's amazing talent.

I will admit that I understand why some people don't particularly love Elf, though. The humor isn't going to work for everyone, and there are scenes that even I don't enjoy quite as much. When Buddy is just naive and chipper it works really well, but there are moments when he becomes too child-like and needy. I can understand when he is all excited about things in this new world, but he has lived for 30 years and shouldn't require being tucked in like a baby. But those jokes aren't the main focus of the movie, and I think otherwise the humor works quite well. One of the best aspects of this film is how it sets up jokes and lets the audience come close to forgetting about it before delivering the punchline. While actors can be blessed with good comic timing, it is rare to find a script intelligent enough to pull off a joke in that fashion without needing someone to deliver a wacky line or a ridiculous reaction shot. Even the forced perspective shots are expertly executed in the North Pole scenes and it feels so natural, instead of using unnecessary CGI. I just love Elf because it provides a new holiday film that the whole family can enjoy together. I recognize it's not a perfect film, but it succeeds at what it was trying to do, and it successfully gets me laughing every time I watch it.