Elf 2003
I saw this with my brother and his family. We all enjoyed the movie and the kids (7 and 9) laughed more than he ever remembers them laughing (which sometimes kids just do even when they don’t think something is that funny). Will Ferrell does a great job of playing the simple-minded grown-up getting along in the big city. He does the innocent part really well (hammy, but it needs to be) and then he can just nail the physical humor too. Afterwards we were trying to figure out who else could have ever played that kind of role and carry it off and a pretty impressive list of actors came to mind like Steve Martin (a little too smart), Tom Hanks, and *maybe* Jim Carrey (not quite likable enough).
The warm Christmas story that the movie is hung on is kind of weak and the ending is a little trite, but you have to accept that this isn’t A Wonderful Life they’re doing.
Bob Newhart is the standout in a respectable supporting cast that features James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Asner and Conan’s former sidekick Andy Richter in a small (and very bad) role. With the exception of Newhart and Asner, most of the other roles are weak or poorly developed. The attraction is watching a grown man who thinks he’s a Christmas elf trying to be nice to everyone and adjusting to life in the real world. After being struck by a taxi cab in New York he points out to someone later to watch out when crossing the street because “the yellow ones don’t stop". You’ve seen some of the best parts already in the previews, but the movie is still well worth watching and should keep you entertained if not exactly enthralled.
I’ll give a B+.
Owned on: Blu-ray, DVD, Digital