Elf 3 / 4 stars
PG, 95m Starring Will Ferrell, James Caan and Zooey Deschanel Directed by Jon Favreau Opens Friday, Nov. 7
Although the plot of "Elf," the cute and funny new Christmas comedy staring Will Ferrell, is geared toward a younger audience, the film is enjoyable for any age.
The movie is bound to put audiences in the holiday spirit with plenty to laugh about.
The story begins when an orphaned baby boy gets trapped in Santa's bag and is brought back to the North Pole. There, his "father" (Bob Newhart) raises him as an elf. The baby, Buddy, grows up and eventually realizes that he doesn't fit in. What's an elf that's three sizes larger than everyone else to do? This misfit elf travels to New York City to find his biological father.
Buddy, the lovable but stupid elf, has no concept of life in the city. About every five minutes the audience laughs hysterically at Buddy's attempts to bond with his Scrooge-like father and chase after a girl who has lost all hope in Christmas. Buddy soon finds that his father, a greedy book publisher, has wound up on Santa's naughty list.
Whether it's the corny jokes, Buddy's misinterpretations of New York's customs, or Will Ferrell in yellow tights and a little green elf suit that causes the audience's laughter, there's little possibility of sitting through this movie and not enjoying it.
Like every good Christmas movie, the lovable character inevitably saves the day. Buddy spreads joy and cheer to New York and revitalizes Christmas for everyone. The abundance of Christmas music makes the movie all the more warm and fuzzy.
"Elf" is also a refreshing change from the violence and foul language found in most other films. It's just a simple, heart-warming movie with an uncomplicated plot. After the first half hour, the audience knows exactly what's going to happen, but it's a great film to see, especially closer to the holidays.
