Elf is one of those movies that works in spite of its premise. The idea of a human orphan raised by Santa's elves and then discovering the harsh, real world as a fully grown man-child is easy, animated, Christmas TV special fodder, and its potential for success as a live-action feature film seems pretty low. But director Jon Favreau (writer of cooler, more adult fare like Swingers and Made) takes the cutesy script by David Berenbaum, hands it to a crack cast, and turns out a likable and genuinely funny holiday film that should please both kids and adults.
Saturday Night Live alum Will Ferrell stars as Buddy, the orphaned human taken in by a kindly old elf (an underused Bob Newhart) and brought up as a member of the toy-making race. When Buddy discovers his true heritage, he sets off for New York City to reunite with his long-lost father (James Caan), a children's-publishing exec who has got himself on Santa's "naughty" list.
Buddy's naïve interactions with the city and its denizens are the film's strongest points, and the lessons about Christmas spirit are decidedly less thrilling. It's no surprise that Caan's Grinch-like corporate climber discovers the true meaning of Christmas, or that daft Buddy charms the entire city, or that he falls in love with a cynical cashier (Zooey Deschanel) from a massive department store.
What makes the movie succeed are the performances, most importantly Ferrell's manic take on the wide-eyed Buddy, whose ridiculous over-enthusiasm for all things Christmas becomes strangely infectious. He proves without a doubt that he can carry a movie post-SNL and, as with his turn in Old School, delivers a performance that offers more than just jokes. There are also hilarious supporting turns from Newhart and Ed Asner as Santa, as well as strong cameos by Andy Richter, Kyle Gass of Tenacious D and Peter Dinklage. Caan is the only weak link, phoning in a flat performance that undersells his character's transition from Scrooge to Santa supporter.
The end of the film, with comedy taking a backseat to Christmas cheer, drags, and the overall effect is slight at best. But Elf is definitely one of the better Christmas films to come along in a while, proving that a smart director and capable actors can turn a rote story into a welcome gift.