Well, I liked this one way better than Love Actually, that's for sure.

I know what this thing wants to be, it's very clearly aimed at children. It feels like a children's book brought to life and it is definitely filmed like it too. If done well, something like that can be charming and heartwarming, but this movie is neither of those things.

A lot of scenes feel like excuses to have Will Ferrel do what Will Ferrel does best, play a big child. Now, this fits his character well enough, but I got to wonder that during 30 years living at the North Pole, Santa or his wife didn't educate him thoroughly about how the world works outside of their magical Christmas land. Especially when Buddy decides to leave the safety of his home and venture somewhere he is very unfamiliar with. He doesn't know social cues, customs or how anything really works. The least he could do is give him some safety tips but he leaves it with some funny quips about peep shows and gum on the street being not for eating. (I gagged when he actually put some in his mouth from a filthy looking iron bar).

Buddy's supposed innocence gets really tiresome halfway through the movie. I mean, after a couple of days, wouldn't he realize that he needs to adapt to be able to be accepted in this world? Even after being beat up by a wonderfully great Peter Dinklage, he remains positive. He doesn't even wonder /why/ he was beat up or ask what he did was wrong. Instead he just accepts the beating and makes a quip about Peter Dinklage (he calls him an elf because he's small, har har) being a South Pole elf. Even if he grew up as an elf, he still has human emotions. I mean, even the elfs at the North Pole are mean to him, as he overhears a conversation that he's pretty useless in the shop. Words hurt more than physical violence, huh? In any case, watching Peter Dinklage kick Will Ferrel's ass was very satisfying.

The movie features a lot of movie tropes that are forgiveable, because it's aimed at movies and the rest of the actors are charming enough that it elevates the movie for me. It's not bad, but it's not good either.

Robert Egbert looks like he doesn't know what the hell is going on half of the time and the lines do not feel right to him at all. Zoey Deschanel is very charming, but doesn't add a lot more to the story besides being a love interest. James Caan pulls an incredible amount of patience from... somewhere. He must love his wife very much (a forgettable Mary Steenbruggen) because it's her that convinces him to let Buddy into his life. A selfless choice from her that's only there to have Buddy move in with the family and cause mayhem.

Not everything in this movie is annoying, I was pretty charmed with it. I loved the scene in the shop where he spends the entire night decorating the place. It shows that his background as living as an Elf is good for something in the real world, and feels like it's something that he can contribute to society over there. Despite that, there's not a lot going on that makes him a valuable character to society. That's not something he actively persues, not even if he wants to impress his dad. But at the end he ends up being a writer for a children's book that gets popular? There's not a single mention about him being interested in that anywhere. His father just took the story of his arrival and adventures in NYC and cashed it. Well done Dad.

Conclusion:
I didn't hate this, but I didn't love it either. It's a good attempt at making a child-friendly Christmas story, but the charm is partially ruined by Will Ferrel's man-child acting.

_**Destined to be played on TV every Christmas the rest of your life**_

Released in 2003 and directed by Jon Favreau, "Elf" is a Christmas dramedy/fantasy starring Will Farrell as an orphaned infant who stows away on Santa Claus' sleigh and isn't discovered until he's at the North Pole, where he's adopted by Papa Elf and named Buddy. After growing up as an elf, he travels to New York City to meet his father (James Caan) and starts a relationship with his neglected younger half-brother. He also starts a relationship with a department store worker (Zooey Deschanel) and helps spread Christmas cheer as Santa (Ed Asner) arrives to the city.

This is an all-around entertaining Christmas flick highlighted by Farrell's goofiness as the quasi-elf. It's fun with consistent laughs, not to mention a nice Christmas moral.

The film runs 97 minutes and was shot in New York City and Vancouver.

GRADE: B+

Whilst delivering toys to an orphanage, a curious baby crawls into Santa's sack. Back at the North Pole shortly after, this young lad makes his presence felt, is named "Buddy" and put in the care of "Papa Elf" (Bob Newhart). Years later, "Buddy" (Will Ferrell) has now grown to full height and isn't really fitting in - on any level. His adopted dad tells him something of his real parents and off to New Work he goes in search of his father "Walter" (James Caan) who had, hitherto, been completely unaware of this son's existence. Hard-nosed "Walter" is initially disinterested, but thanks to a photograph from years gone by, quickly decides to try and help his green-suited offspring to try and make his way in the world. "Buddy" isn't very good at much, but what he excels at is making friends and spreading good cheer - and all of that proves crucial when Santa (Ed Asner) finds his sleigh won't work on Christmas Eve for lack of Christmas spirit. Can "Buddy" rally the troops - and avoid the menacing Central Park Rangers? This is a jolly and fun Christmas feel-good film that has weathered the last twenty years rather well. The sentiment is well layered, the humour works for all ages and Caan compliments the sometimes cringe-making effusiveness of "Buddy" - aided by sparing but kindly appearances from Mary Steenburgen - well. There is even an hint of a romance for our good-natured soul in the form of "Jovie" (Zooey Deschanel) and as Christmas movies go, this is certainly one of the better ones.

In my opinion this is the best Christmas movie ever made. Its so hilarious that you laugh throughout. If you havent seen this, i highly suggest that you do.

Good watch, will likely watch again, and can recommend.

For all the good this movie has in it, there is a fair amount of annoying as well, which is what keeps it from being a great movie.

A family reconnection trope, with a character out of his element trope, crossed with one of the most annoyingly positive characters of all time trope.

Ultimately, it's a sweet, hear warming story that really captures the spirit of family, Christmas, and togetherness.

It also captures all of the insanity Will Ferrell can conjure up for his character, basically as if he wrote a SNL Christmas special and just rode rough shod over the other actors.

The cast does a wonderful job of backing up Will Ferrell, but that's clearly what it is.

Around the holidays, especially, don't be afraid of giving this a try, and bear through the annoying bits, because there is likely something really funny just about to happen.