Elf (Infinifilm Edition)

This is the classic "fish out of water" plot that has been used in countless movies. How will Buddy, conspicuous in his green and yellow elf costume, with a pointy hat and pointy shoes, behave in New York City? How will Buddy's no-nonsense dad handle the fact that he has fathered a man who thinks he's an elf?

Predictably, Buddy, in his sweet innocence, has trouble adjusting to life in the big city. He wreaks havoc in a department store, exasperates his father, and soon feels lonely and unwanted. All of this works because the actors, including such seasoned veterans as Bob Newhart and Ed Asner, play it absolutely straight. Fortunately, there are only a few of the cloying scenes that often make holiday movies so difficult to take.

Hats off to the director and the special effects crew for delivering some hilarious sight gags and some cool and magical moments. Go see "Elf" with your kids. It is not great cinema, but I think that you will find this movie engaging and amusing holiday entertainment.


Bonkers But Beautiful   November 14, 2003
Phome (NY, USA)
34 out of 36 found this review helpful

I loved this movie. It was totally bonkers: a human baby accidently ends up on the north pole and grows up among the elf community that supports Santa Claus. Buddy, as he comes to be known, knows that he's "special" however, since he can't keep up with the other elves. Never mind the fact that he's about three times as tall as any of them and barely fits in the shower.

When he's 30, and still young by Elf standards, he learns that he's really a human. Buddy decides to go in search of his father (who's on Santa's naughty list), to find out where he belongs. He walks to New York (through the Lincoln tunnel), and is immediately run over by a cab. The chain of events starts at that moment ...

Buddy is a delightful and enchanting character with many special talents and a childish personality. He is naive to the point of stupidity, but charming all the while. His lovable demeanour gains him friends in spite of his clumsy efforts. He is sweet, kind and generous. When his father at first rejects him, Buddy ends up in a department store where other elves (people who pretend to be Santa's elves) are working, and stays up all night to decorate the place. When the department store Santa isn't the real Santa, well, you can guess what happens ...

Buddy eats spaghetti covered in syrup, smarties and pop tarts; he gets drunk in the mail room of his father's office and his young half-brother shows him to ask a girl out on a date.

But all the while, things are looking bad for Santa Claus (and also Buddy's father). How will Buddy rescue the day? When Santa crashes his sleigh in Central Park, it's Buddy's moment to shine.

Abstract, enchanting, child-like madness all make up this beautiful movie. Absolutely delightful and recommended to viewers of all ages. If you want a Christmas feel-good movie, this is it.


Will Farrell shines as Buddy   November 7, 2003
Kona (Emerald City)
18 out of 28 found this review helpful

"Elf," the new Christmas family film, stars Will Farrell as Buddy, a would-be elf. It seems Buddy was an orphan who sneaked into Santa's bag, was taken to his workshop, and adopted by elf Bob Newhart. Now Buddy is grown up, and he goes to New York City to meet his biological father (played by James Cann), and the predictable problems of an innocent elf in the big city begin.

Parts of this movie are very likeable: Will Farrell is charming and likeable as Buddy. Bob Newhart is equally loveable and funny as the Papa Elf. Ed Asner was an odd choice as a grumpy, cold, and definitely not jolly, Santa Claus. James Cann is dull as Buddy's biological father, a serious, unscrupulous children's book publisher. The middle section of the movie, which focuses on Cann's business problems, was tedious for me. Will Farrells' scenes are joyful, however, and his fans will certainly enjoy "Elf."


Great for Kids and SNL fans!   November 6, 2003
Lacey Henderson (now at Austin, Texas, formerly a Cleveland, Ohio resident)
13 out of 14 found this review helpful

After seeing the preview, I decided to take my kids to go see it with me. It had some cute funny parts and even a few silly parts that children could relate to. My son (7 yr old) really liked it! Myself, who is Will Farrell fan (and liked SNL a lot better when he was still on the show), also liked this movie. But, at times, it seemed a little never-ending. It at times, seemed like a drawn-out SNL skit gone boring!
But overall, It was a good movie for children and SNL fans. And if you do not fall in that category, wait until it comes out to video, or wait until it goes to one of those cheap theaters!


Anarcho-Christmas cheesey brilliance   March 25, 2004
Swiss Bob (UK)
13 out of 13 found this review helpful

First of all, this was the funniest film I have ever seen; I was in tears half way through. Yes, it is a kids' movie, but adults get to watch Will Farrel rip the heart out of Christmas by camping it up and being ridiculously sincere. Watching Farrel start a fight with a fake Santa for "sitting on a throne of lies" is about as fun as films get.

Those reviewers who think that this was cheesey nonsense - duh. It was supposed to be, and that is what made it so funny. And you seem to have missed the whole essence of the film.

Oh, and the kids liked it too.