Elf begins with Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) telling the audience a story of how a human baby managed to sneak its way back from an Orphanage in America to the North Pole, Santa (Edward Asner) being a sucker for kids decides to keep the child and calls him Buddy. Papa Elf now becomes his father.Buddy, (Will Ferrell) grows up with the elves and realises that his skills of being an elf are not as up to standard as the others, also realises that he's 6ft tall and had a beard since he was fifteen. So eventually Papa Elf and Santa tell Buddy that he is a human from New York and his mother, Susan, died after he was born and his father Walter Hobbs (James Caan) didn't even know he was born. Unfortunately, Walter is also on the naughty list. So, Buddy leaves the North Pole, passing the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest, through the sea of swirly twirly gum drops and finally through the Lincoln Tunnel to meet his father.
New York seems to be too much fun for Buddy. He discovers free gum on the hand rails, the world’s best cup of coffee and fun to be had with revolving doors. He finds his dad working in the Empire State building as a children’s publisher and announces his existence. After been thrown out, Buddy heads to Gimbels Department store which is meant to be like the North Pole.
After being mistaking as an employee of the toy department, Buddy meets Jovie (Played by the beautiful Zooey Deschanel) and falls for her due to her passion for elf culture. It is then announced that Santa is coming to the store, Buddy presuming it is the real Santa gets excited and starts decorating the store at night. When Santa does arrive the next day, Buddy realises he is a fake and they have a fight around the store resulting in Buddy being arrested.
Walter retrieves Buddy from jail, after getting a card from him that includes a picture of Walter and Susan, and learns through a paternity test that Buddy is indeed Walter's son. He invites him home to stay with his family, wife Emily (Mary Steenburgen) and son Michael (Daniel Tay). Buddy meets up with Michael after school the next day were he tries to befriend his half-brother. After defending Michael in a snowball fight they become friends and head back to Gimbels were Buddy asks Jovie on a date.
Buddy takes Jovie out all over New York, he buys her the worlds best cup of coffee, tries to get her to play in revolving doors and finally the pair go ice skating at the Rockefeller centre were they share a kiss. Buddy excitedly tries to tell Walter of his date, but barges in on a Christmas Eve meeting between Walter and a famous children's author and a little person, Miles Finch (Peter Dinklage) as a last attempt to get a successful book out before Christmas.
Buddy mistakes Miles as a fellow elf, and causes Miles to walk out on Walter. Walter tells Buddy to get out of his life forever, causing Buddy to run away. Michael returns home to finds Buddy's farewell message, and runs to tell his dad what happened. Walter realizes what he has done, and promptly leaves in the middle of an important meeting with his boss to go find Buddy, resulting in him being fired.
Buddy, while walking over the Brooklyn Bridge (In a similar scene in It's A Wonderful Life) hears Santa's sleigh falling to the ground in Central Park. After finding him, Santa explains that he needs people to believe that he exists for his sleigh to fly again before the New York Central Park Rangers, rangers mounted on horse back known for their forceful tactics, get to Santa. Walter and Michael find Buddy and Santa in the park and help him out by distracting the rangers and making the people believe in Santa from help from Jovie.
The plan is a success and Santa is able to deliver his presents. Walter creates his own publishing company and writes a 'fictional' story called 'Elf' and Buddy and Jovie get married and have a kid together. Awww!!
Elf is made so successful from three elements, the acting, the soundtrack and the story. Ferrell is a great comic, movement actor (Maybe not in everything but defiantly in this.) who acts so simply it creates such a lovable, warm character. He stupid, don't get me wrong, but really lovable and contrast so well with Caan's stern, Scrooge like character. Daschanel's support brings heat to the story also. (Not in a sexy way, I know its me but grow up lads...okay she is stunning too but that is a given! I'll put a picture at the bottom of the blog!) The only part of the acting I really cringe at however is Steenburgen's horrific singing!! Tone deaf!!
The soundtrack will be something that makes this film a classic one day. As well as using Christmas songs such as Baby,It's Cold Outside and Sleigh Ride it uses the biggies such as one of my favorite Sanatra songs You Make Me Feel So Young. Also, Daschanel also sings beautifully in the film a few times, in one scene in the shower with Ferrell outside!
Elf is a heart warming comedy that will make any hardcore bastard feel warm and fuzzy inside. Get out there and watch it as soon as possible!! Even if its for this beautiful set of eyes!
"You smell like beef and cheese, you don't smell like Santa."
For Ferrell & Daschanel's Version of Baby It's Cold Outside - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=X9re6CQZGFw
For the trailer - http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pvtmsqyOkhc
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