Movie Review: Mishaps and Maple Syrup

With celebrations around the corner it’s only fitting to review a holiday classic movie. Of course there are many iconic holiday films that come to mind when December rolls around. Films such as: Home Alone, The Grinch, The Santa Clause, The Nightmare Before Christmas (yes, I consider this a Halloween AND Christmas movie), and so much more. The main focus of today’s review is of the undeniably iconic Elf.
Released in 2003, and directed by Jon Favereau, Elf is witty comedy that follows the bumbling adventures of Buddy the elf (played by Will Ferrell) as he navigates his way through New York. He undergoes quite the journey in order to bring about Christmas spirit to his estranged bio father and those around him.
Buddy’s adventure starts when Santa (played by Edward Asner) accidentally takes him from his orphanage to the North Pole. Not quite knowing what else to do, Santa and the other elves welcome Buddy as their own.
Despite being a human amongst elves (and their plainly noticeable differences), Buddy is unaware of his true origin and remains happily doing his best to make toys for Christmas.
However, it’s evident that Buddy is struggling to fit in. This is when Papa Elf (Buddy’s adoptive dad played by Bob Newhart) and Santa reveal the truly shocking truth about Buddy’s true identity. Distraught, Buddy learns something else, his biological father is …on the naughty list?
Buddy then embarks on a journey to New York to meet his father, in hopes to uplift his spirit. Along the way he makes connections both good and (unintentionally) bad (how was he supposed to know elves don’t exist in New York and putting maple syrup on pretty much everything isn’t quite so good?) He even makes a friend with the pretty retail worker Jovie (played by Zooey Deschanel). With her and Buddy’s little step-brother’s help, Buddy navigates the highs and lows of human-culture.
During all this, Buddy struggles to connect with his own father. Their views and personalities clash way too much to truly begin to understand each other. Things escalate to a point where Buddy accidently ruins an important business deal for his father leaving them in an even more bitter place. However, that’s not the only trouble brewing. Buddy soon reunites with Santa when his sleigh crashes in Central Park, the Christmas spirit used to power the sleigh fading away. Now Buddy has to find a way to get hundreds of people back into the Christmas spirit before it’s too late. Can he do it?
I rate this movie an automatic 10/10 for the sole fact that it’s a classic. Considering the fact that watching this movie is an insistent Christmas tradition every year, one would think that it would push me to give it a lower rating. But the fact remains that no matter how many times it’s watched, this movie is downright comical each and every time. The actors play their role amazingly and no one can deny the nostalgia of a 2000’s movie. Elf is a must-have watch that is perfect for all ages and families on holiday. So grab your spaghetti and maple syrup and cozy down to watch this iconic film!