I never forget a face but in your case I think I'll make an exception :)
I never forget a face but in your case I think I'll make an exception :)
Member since:31.08.2002
Reviews:151
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"Elf"
Genre : Comedy Classified : PG Duration : 95 mins Direction : Jon Faureau Cast : Will Ferrell/ James Caan/ Bob Newhart/ Edward Asner/ Mary Steenburgen/ Zooey Deschanel/ Daniel Tay.
~INTRO~
For every good Christmas movie, there are ten bad ones outnumbering them. This is why I entered the cinema to watch this film with more than an inkling of scepticism. On the other hand I'm always prepared to be proved wrong with my misconceptions. So which scenario prevailed ?
~PLOT~
Buddy is an Elf, only he's no ordinary Elf, he may live in the North Pole and work alongside Santa Claus and countless other Elves making all manner of wonderful toys the year round BUT you see Buddy is human.
One Christmas Eve, many years previous when Buddy was but a baby, he somehow managed to crawl into Santa's sack unnoticed while Santa was delivering presents to the orphanage. Instead of taking Buddy back home, kind hearted Santa put Papa Elf in charge of Buddy's tutorage and he was raised as an Elf, unprepared it would seem for the consequences time would reveal.
Buddy isn't an Elf and he can't fit into Elvish life and it's routines, his clumsy human fingers aren't ideal for toymaking and his six foot two frame has outgrown his surroundings much like Gulliver did on his travels. Buddy's heart is in the right place but unfortunately
his body isn't and the time has come thinks Papa Elf for Buddy to be told the whole truth. He tells him how he came to be in the North Pole and how he and the Elves raised him, this doesn't go down well with Buddy. Suddenly he feels alienated, he notices differences which he hadn't previously and percieved imperfections and immediately decides that he belongs in the human world with his own family.
Buddy sets out for New York City eager to find his biological father undeterred by the misgivings of Santa who tells him his father is on the naughty list year after year. So how will the unprepared, happy, Elf-like Buddy with his inbuilt, optimistic outlook on life fare in the real-world, complete with it's stark, harsh realities biting deep into his heart ?
~ACTING~
This is Will Ferrell's first major film role - from 'Saturday Night Live' to top billing on a main label movie release, quite a task you would have thought but I thought he suited the role down to a tee. His cheeky smile, childlike outlook and his warm spirit not only ingratiated everyone he meets in the film but everyone who gets to see the film. He's so lovable yet vulnerable and the combination appealed to me as a viewer and stirred me enough to care about what happened to him. Will Ferrell may be a newbie on the movie scene but he looks here to stay judging by this, I can think of only a limited few who could have done such a great job in the role of Buddy. He not only brought the character to life but seemed to make the role his own with a distinct style suited to ad-libbing.
James Caan was a surprise name on the cast list in a movie of this type given his history of playing macho, serious roles in the past. Nevertheless he didn't let anyone down yet he didn't stand out either as the dour, unfeeling publishing chief located in the Empire State Building. His charisma is in stark contrast to Buddy's and his initial hostility towards Buddy (his alleged son) slowly but surely begins to unfurl as the irrepressible Buddy's presence has the desired effect.
Bob Newhart as Papa Elf gives a hilarious cameo with some super lines and Mary Steenburgen as Emily (Buddy's stepmother) gives a polished if somewhat unmemorable performance. I would like to have seen more of the pretty Zooey Deschanel ('All The Real Girls') who plays an Elf employed by Gimbel's Christmas Store who Buddy takes a shine to. She's funny and obviously talented but didn't get many lines, she wasn't the only one though because Buddy is the lifeblood of the movie, without him there is no movie.
~DIRECTION~
Little known Director Jon Favreau has made a peach of a Christmas movie here, it captures the holiday season perfectly. Of course the movie isn't flawless especially the predictable ending but that isn't the point. Christmas is the time of year to suspend your cynicism, cease your disection of every movie you see and just enjoy a movie for what it is, I challenge anyone not to be touched by the magical feel this movie emits. It sounds easy to say that but it isn't easy to achieve in reality, even when the season of good will is in full flow.
The film is absolutely loaded with humour but the jokes are clever and never fell into the trap of being tasteless. As well as the witty remarks and scenarios spewing forth, visual comedy is in evidence too, Buddy is in complete contrast to his human comrades and this unearths a whole set of madcap moments. Buddy understands the magic of Christmas because this is all he knows, Favreau has used this wonderfully well to capture some hilarious moments. Along with the hilarity, there is a definate good hearted message contained in the film. Christmas is magical and is a time of year to enjoy not be sidetracked by greed, worry and overburden, even though this message is clearly there, the film avoids being schmaltzy and for this reason I believe the film encompasses age boundaries. It can be enjoyed by adults and children in equal measure because it has adult and childlike content therefore creating a modern Christmas classic, quite an achievement.
The film was a big success at the U.S and U.K box offices last year, well deserved I can tell you.
~SUMMARY~
As if you hadn't guessed, I loved the film. I can't remember laughing out loud at so many different scenes in any one movie (well maybe 'Dumb And Dumber') for a long time. Happy go lucky Buddy is a fantastic creation and is wonderfully done by Will Ferrell, I will be amazed if he isn't a new star in the making in the comedy genre. Part slapstick, part serious, the movie is truly enchanting.
Highly recommended especially at Christmas (to heighten the seasonal splendour!).
===============================WormThatTurned2004
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Elfis genuinely good. Not justSaturday Night Live-movie good, when the movie has some ... more
funny bits but is basically an insult to humanity;Elfis a smartly written, skillfully directed, and deftly acted story of a human being adopted by Christmas elves who...
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Elfis genuinely good. Not justSaturday Night Live-movie good, when the movie has some ... more
funny bits but is basically an insult to humanity;Elfis a smartly written, skillfully directed, and deftly acted story of a human being adopted by Christmas elves who...
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raised as an elf at the North Pole is sent to the U.S. in search of his true identity. This charming fantasy is packed full of hysterically funny moments and is des...
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Once upon a Christmas Eve, an orphan baby crawled into Santa's bag of gifts and was taken ... more
to the North Pole. Raised by Papa Elf (Bob Newhart), Buddy (Will Ferrell) comes to realise he doesn't fit in with the other elves. Determined to find a place wher...
![Elf [DVD] [2003]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78515951.jpg "Elf [DVD] [2003]")
Jul 29th, 2004
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