Review of Elf (2003) by Esteban G — 25 Apr 2014

"You sit on a throne of lies!".

Elf is one of those rare comedies that grows on me each time I rewatch it. I remember I enjoyed it the first time I saw it, but I love it even more now. Not everyone is a fan of Will Ferrell's man-child character, but seeing him wear those yellow tights and his green elf suit is hard to resist. He is hilarious in this movie and at the same time charming. Elf is not just a comedy that aims for cheap laughs or plays on one gag, it is also wickedly smart and brings out the Holiday spirit in everyone no matter how much of a Grinch or Stooge they are. There are so many great scenes and memorable quotes. The funniest scenes in the film are the ones where Ferrell calls out a fake Santa in the department store where he has been hired, and when he mistakes one of his father's associates (Peter Dinklage from Game of Thrones) for an elf. Those two scenes were great, but there were so many more hilarious moments playing on his confusion. The love story is also sweet and Zooey Deschanel shines in every scene she's in. James Caan plays Ferrell's father (who's in the naughty list) extremely well. Elf has turned into a Christmas classic, but the great thing about these comedies is that you don't need to wait for the Holiday season to enjoy them. Jon Favreau has proven he can direct some great films and he has a great sense of humor. It's been 11 years since it first was released and it continues to be a joyous experience.