Elf

Elf

Starring Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen

Directed by Jon Favreau

The Story:
When he was a baby at the orphanage, Buddy (Will Ferrell) snuck into Santa's sack and ended up at the North Pole.  There he was raised by Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) and believed himself to be an elf - despite his huge size.  When he found out that he was human, he wanted to find his real father.  Papa Elf tells Buddy of his true birth, and Buddy travels to New York City to see his father, Walter (James Caan).

Arriving in the Big Apple, Buddy's good-natured attitude and positive upbeat style rubs everyone the wrong way, except for Jovie (Zooey Deschanel), a girl playing an elf at a department store.  Buddy finds his father, who's a children's book publisher, and only cares about money and power.  While at first rejecting him, Walter takes Buddy in and he begins to soften his heart to family and what really matters in life.

The Synopsis:
Will Ferrell used to be one of the most hilarious actors in Hollywood.  Beyond his stint on "Saturday Night Live," he transferred his abilities to the big screen in classic comedies like "Old School," "Anchorman" and "Step Brothers," although as of late he's not really hit the mark ("The House" and "Daddy's Home 2" were two of his most recent flops).  Although he's best known for crude humor and coarse language, he stripped it all down for "Elf," a Christmas classic for the entire family.  Generally, Christmas movies seethe good feelings and joy in a way that makes it almost as unbearable as eating maple syrup on spaghetti, but "Elf" is an anomaly.  It does spread the Yuletide cheer, but not in a sickingly sweet way: it's actually quite endearing.

Sure, the story is as generic as they come, but Ferrell and cast bring a sense of humanity to it all, as well as laugh-out-loud moments.  Buddy is the epitome of a tourist from another country: he has no idea what the customs are, the boundaries, or anything any suspecting person would think about - and that's what's most magical about him.  He travels New York with a youthful, gleeful charm that's infectious - even if at times he's a bit overbearing.  This is Will Ferrell at his best, playing the John Q Everyman who doesn't let the weight of the world get him down.

James Caan is perfectly cast as Walter, Buddy's father who's the standard definition of a workaholic father.  He's a children's book publisher who doesn't seem to care for kids, especially his own.  He's distant from his wife and young son, and wants nothing to do with Buddy.  Yet, as Buddy grows on him, he feels his heart start to melt, much like the Grinch in that other Christmas classic.  There's a pitfall with this type of character where he becomes so evil that you don't care to see him be nice, but Caan balances his performance in a way that he never comes off as incredibly Grinch-like evil, but as a man who values money.  Yet there's always room for improvement.

Zooey Deschanel plays Jovie, a department store worker who dresses as an elf for Christmas, drawing Buddy's attraction.  While most girls would've blown Buddy off (especially after finding him in the women's locker room singing while she's showering), she is also drawn to his boyhood innocence and because of that she finds the strength inside to sing, for as Buddy says, "the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear."  She's a delightful addition to the cast and her natural complexion works well for her playing a department store elf.

The story is a heartwarming tale of reuniting a family, albeit a highly dysfunctional one, but Ferrell definitely puts the "fun" in it.  As Buddy tries to get into Walter's life, there's the problem Santa is facing: with less and less people experiencing the true Christmas spirit, his sleigh can't fly, and he risks not being able to complete his yearly duty.  It begins as a side story that becomes the main near the end, and draws everything into perfect balance.

On top of the acting and story, the effects were really amazing as well.  Jon Favreau shied away from generic CGI and instead relied on practical effects, and by using forced perspective to make the elves look small compared to Buddy.  The outside of the North Pole was reminiscent of the classic "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," and the elf costume designs actually came from that movie.  All that adds to the true beauty of the film, and gives it a realistic feel.

Then there's the famous quotes.  There's so many quotable lines that people say even today, with my personal favorite being "you sit on a throne of lies."

The Summary:
If you're looking for a modern Christmas classic, look no further than this Well Ferrell-helmed comedy that's great for the entire family, filled with humor and heart, and a strong ensemble cast.

The Score: A