Elf

Elf's hopeful and uplifting response to post-9/11 cynicism is gentle, right up to a climax where the world is huddled around their television sets watching news reports trying to figure out what's that thing that crashed in New York City.

It’s not just the lines, written by David Berenbaum, that work... It’s Ferrell’s bullish commitment to the concept that holds the Jon Favreau-directed film together.

While his plotting may leave a little to be desired, Favreau directs with speed, humour and efficiency.

Ferrell is a hoot. So is much of this witty holiday family entertainment, which, up until the end, when the "true spirit of Christmas" must be reaffirmed, happily favors slapstick over treacle.

Sure, Elf feels a little too feel-good at the end, but what do you expect? It's a Christmas movie! Anything else would be the cinematic equivalent of finding coal in your stocking.

The cast wrings laughs out of David Berenbaum's script as if it were a damp washcloth, but even they have trouble selling frenetic button-pushing as the Christmas spirit.

Even if Elf might be a bit overplayed during the holiday season, Ferrell’s puppy-like enthusiasm has kept this film fresh even after all these years.



Elf isn’t a pre-fabricated piece of synthetic Christmas cheer like such junk as Deck the Halls, Jingle All the Way or the worst-of-the-worst Christmas With the Kranks.

Just not in time for the holidays, a recent revisit with the surprise Christmas classic earns a smidgen more love from our resident crusty curmudgeon.

Bob Newhart, Ed Asner, Peter Dinklage, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, and, most surprisingly, James Caan nailing their supporting turns. Sometimes at Christmas, you just want to laugh.