Release Date: November 7, 2003
Starring: Will Farrell, James Caan, Edward Asner, Bob Newhart, Mary Steenburgen
Directed by: Jon Favreau
Written by: David Berenbaum
Distributed by: New Line Cinema
MPAA Rating: PG (some mild rude humor, language)
Elf is deceptively labeled as a family film that is supposed to appeal to children and parents alike. However, with its PG rating and the obviously restrained performance of Will Ferrell, this film offers very little entertainment value to older viewers. Elf quickly loses all characteristics of a comedy as the storyline is taken much too seriously; director Jon Favreau and screenwriter David Berenbaum apparently believe that they've got new values to instill in their young target audience about the meaning of Christmas.
Ferrell plays Buddy, a man who has been raised as an elf ever since being mistakenly taken to the North Pole in Santa's bag as a child. Despite obvious clues that he isn't an elf, Buddy never figures it out until he overhears other elves discussing his situation. After asking his adopted father (Bob Newhart) about his biological parents, Buddy learns that only his father (James Caan) is still alive. Buddy sets out on a journey to New York City to finally meet his father but finds that he's a very unhappy, money-driven workaholic who has forgotten the true meaning of Christmas. It is thus Buddy's job, as an elf and a son, to change his father's outlook on life.
This is, in fact, the same predictable, corny quality found in most Christmas-themed movies. And it's a shame that such a great cast is assembled in an attempt to make a comedy with some heart only to have writing that inhibits the development of its characters. It seems to be a current trend in modern cinema for films to neatly fit into genres and characters to never break their molds. Within the first 15 minutes of a film, the viewer can be introduced to a character and predict every decision they'd make in any given situation. While Elf may not be the appropriate target for these frustrations -- it's hardly the worst of the genre-mold offenders -- it certainly is a classic example of the standard type of writing present in current films.
Nevertheless, director Jon Favreau is successful at capturing some of the magic and spirit of Christmas with his visual representations of the North Pole. The settings are beautiful, especially along Buddy's journey to New York. His ability to manipulate the size of Buddy to his surroundings and other elves is comparable to Peter Jackson's work with Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings. And his inclusion of characters inspired by stop-motion Christmas movie classics such as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is innovative.
But Will Ferrell, the star everyone has come to see, isn't given much room for his trademark gestural comedic style. He delivers his lines with a childlike naiveté, and once in awhile he screams or does a funny dance, but that's about it. Worse, the audience is given an even rarer glimpse of Ferrell's well-known facial expressions.
James Caan is cast as the angry, Scrooge-like father, but he only puts forth the minimal effort required to earn his pay by playing this two-dimensional character. Speaking of cardboard cutout characters, Ed Asner plays Santa Claus, a negligible supporting character, at about the same level as any of your local shopping-mall Santas.
Another character that is relevant, but nevertheless underdeveloped is Buddy's adopted father played by Bob Newhart. Also serving as the narrator, his performance is believable but almost unnecessary because the relationship between Buddy and him isn't explored far enough.
Elf has good family values, even if they are the same ones every Christmas movie tries to relay. Unfortunately, the lack of an original or creative storyline means the talent is wasted. Because of the film's dependency upon a recycled formula -- a misfit with something to prove -- Will Ferrell's brand of comedy is left untapped, much like the keg his more outlandish alter ego, Frank "The Tank" Ricard would have to leave behind to transform into such a child friendly character.
-- Ed Malinowski (edman_mal_pal@hotmail.com)