Often referred to as the epitome of a classic Will Ferrell movie, “Elf” has managed to keep families laughing and loving this movie for the mere 97 minutes that it is. It’s filled with classic Will Ferrell comedy that makes this movie timeless. 

While Christmas stories have been around for decades, no one has quite done it right like Jon Favreau when creating this film. Almost two decades later its jokes are still being referenced by people. 

The movie revolves most of its comedy on the basis of the movie, the idea of a human growing up with Santa in the North Pole.

It opens the movie with the idea that the story has already happened but is now being told by Papa Elf (Bob Newhart), Buddy’s (Will Ferrell) adoptive father. 

The movie begins the introduction by showing Buddy as a baby crawling into Santa’s bag of toys. The movie does not make the audience wait long through the introduction of Buddy’s story before it moves on to the rising action of the plot.

The rising action kicks in when Buddy discovers his quest. Shortly after finding out that he’s not really an elf, Buddy sets out to New York City to find his birth father. 

Will Ferrell does a fantastic job in this as he really has the audience believing he was truly an elf lost in New York. The best part about Ferrell’s acting in this is he brings out his own personality in the character. If a viewer didn’t know any better, it wouldn’t be farfetched for one to say he played himself at some points in the film. 

While the cast list is brief, the film accomplishes all the comedic and fun-loving aspects of the film that is sought out to accomplish. The movie may be a work of fiction, but the holiday spirit it brings out in everyone is not. 

The soundtrack throughout the movie is exactly what the audience would expect, and exactly what the audience would want, Christmas music. The movie constantly throws Christmas hits towards the audience that makes them love the music even more as Buddy dances to the music.

The movie constantly brings out comedic aspects while Buddy is trying to adjust life in New York around Christmas time. He eats gum off of a sidewalk and puts syrup on his spaghetti. At one point he sees the world’s best cup of coffee. At the sight of this, he runs in and congratulates everyone for having the world’s best cup of coffee.

Once he finds his birth father named Walter Hobbs (James Caan), he begins to live with him and his family. Walter’s new wife Emily (Mary Steenburgen), and his son Michael (Daniel Tay), simply adore Buddy. Walter on the other hand, does not and quickly grows tired of him.

Throughout Buddy’s confusion, he accidentally starts working at a store in a mall. It’s here that Buddy discovers his new love interest Jovie (Zooey Deschanel). What sort of family Christmas movie would ‘Elf’ be if it didn’t provide a love interest for the main protagonist. While the romanticism is cliche, it doesn’t mean it isn’t filled with chemistry and heartwarming moments.

The movie’s plot thickens as Walter throws Buddy out of his house for messing up a big pitch he had at work. What adds to the climax is it’s Christmas eve and Santa’s sleigh is running out of power since there aren’t as many people who believe in Christmas as there once was. Santa crashes in New York, and the only elf around who can help is Buddy.

The film ‘Elf’ is the staple and epitome of Christmas movies. It will forever sit in the hall of fame of Christmas movies. Just as it will forever seduce us into purchasing it on demand just so we can watch Will Ferrell eat balls of cotton at the Doctor’s office.