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Elf (2003)

tomatometer

84

Average Rating: 7/10
Reviews Counted: 171
Fresh: 144 | Rotten: 27

A movie full of Yuletide cheer, Elf is a spirited, good-natured family comedy, and it benefits greatly from Will Ferrell's funny and charming performance as one of Santa's biggest helpers.

78

Average Rating: 6.5/10
Critic Reviews: 41
Fresh: 32 | Rotten: 9

A movie full of Yuletide cheer, Elf is a spirited, good-natured family comedy, and it benefits greatly from Will Ferrell's funny and charming performance as one of Santa's biggest helpers.

audience

73

liked it
Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 832,936

My Rating

Movie Info

For his sophomore stab at directing, actor/writer/director Jon Favreau (Swingers, Made), took on this holiday comedy starring Saturday Night Live-alum Will Ferrell. Ferrell stars as Buddy, a regular-sized man who was raised as an elf by Santa Claus (Edward Asner). When the news is finally broken to Buddy that he's not a real elf, he decides to head back to his place of birth, New York City, in search of his biological family. Elf also stars James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, Zooey Deschanel, and Bob

PG,

Kids & Family, Comedy, Special Interest

Jon Favreau, David Berenbaum

Nov 16, 2004

$173.4M

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All Critics (171) | Top Critics (41) | Fresh (147) | Rotten (28) | DVD (37)

A disarmingly funny holiday comedy.

September 7, 2011 Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The film soon bogs down in fake hugs and a fakier climax involving Santa (Ed Asner) and his downed sled.

November 27, 2007 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comments (7)
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Some humour might sail over the heads of the very young, but there's a higher chuckle rate for the grown-ups than much dread 'family' fare.

January 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out
Time Out
Top Critic IconTop Critic

I love watching Ferrell do his gangly, clueless shtick, and even here, there's something inherently funny about just seeing him in a big, green elf suit. There's something inherently funny about Ferrell -- period.

August 7, 2004 Full Review Source: New York Magazine
New York Magazine
Top Critic IconTop Critic

A movie made by people who really have their thinking caps on.

November 8, 2003 Full Review Source: Salon.com | Comment (1)
Salon.com
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Ferrell's stone-stupid sincerity keeps the action moving and irresistible, despite its familiarity.

November 7, 2003 Full Review Source: Toronto Star
Toronto Star
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Feels like that rare instant Christmas classic.

December 8, 2012 Full Review Source: Spectrum (St. George, Utah)
Spectrum (St. George, Utah)

Amorphous and ill-formed, relying solely on the strength of the gags to win the day.

November 23, 2010 Full Review Source: Sci-Fi Movie Page
Sci-Fi Movie Page

The third act's a little clumsy, but Elf brings the Christmas cheer and loads of laughs.

November 18, 2010 Full Review Source: IGN DVD
IGN DVD

Peppy holiday favorite for both kids and parents.

August 31, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media

A family-friendly, funny and heartwarming holiday film with a great heart that is well worth watching more than once.

January 27, 2010 Full Review Source: ScreenRant
ScreenRant

What ultimately turns Elf from an okay movie to a good movie, is Will Ferrell.

April 29, 2009 Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed
Cinema Crazed

Elf might be the last modern Christmas classic we see for a long time.

December 16, 2008 Full Review Source: What Would Toto Watch? | Comments (3)
What Would Toto Watch?

The sentiment gets a little sticky towards the end, but many will consider this the perfect antidote to traditional Christmas fare -- especially those with a fondness for Ferrell's comedy.

December 5, 2008 Full Review Source: Film4 | Comment (1)
Film4

Delivers a warm, feel-good Christmas ending that will inspire the hope that even New York City can have Christmas spirit -- at least of the Hollywood kind.

October 29, 2008 Full Review Source: Decent Films Guide
Decent Films Guide

Most will relate to its Christmas spirit, and there's unlikely to be a dry eye in the house during the emotional climax.

October 18, 2008 Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile
Urban Cinefile

[An] amusing, sweet-natured ode to retro-Christmas warmth and cheer...

August 7, 2008 Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review
Sacramento News & Review

The result is a turkey.

November 27, 2007 Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | Comments (5)
Guardian [UK]

A delightful, slapstick adventure about a naïve innocent, woefully ill equipped to handle the rigors of life inside any impatiently unforgiving metropolis.

May 25, 2007
Afro-American

Ferrell's man-child invites sympathy and sniggers, making this amusing despite some flimsy plotting. Sight gags and a Santa-centred story should keep the kids happy, too.

December 30, 2006 Full Review Source: Empire Magazine
Empire Magazine

Elf does such a great job of winning you over early on that you'll gladly endure it.

July 5, 2005 Full Review Source: Bullz-Eye.com
Bullz-Eye.com

Exudes genuine holiday cheer.

May 3, 2005 Full Review Source: Lessons of Darkness
Lessons of Darkness

Audience Reviews for Elf

Buddy is a man raised who was by Santa and his elves up in the North Pole since he was a baby finally learns the truth about his life and sets off to New York City to find his biological father in this heartwarming, whimsical, and hilarious family comedy from Jon Favreau.

IThe premise is a fun take on the fish out of water tale, the script is mostly pretty sharp, and the central performance from Will Ferrell is one of the funniest comedic roles of all time. He absolutely sells it, and you honestly believe every minute of it, which is a Christmas miracle since it could have been so easy to mess up. He doesn't though, and it is an absolute joy to watch. James Caan is likewise pretty fun as Buddy's biological father Walter in the requisite Grinch/Scrooge type of role. Mary Steenburgen and Daniel Tay are decent as Walter's wife Emily and son Michael, and Zooey Deschanel is quite fine as Jovie- Buddy's love interest and co-worker at a department store. We also get Bob Newhart as Buddy's adoptive elf dad and Ed Asner as Santa. My favorite supporting character though has to be Faizon Love as the no-nonsense manager of the department store.

Like I said, the script is pretty sharp for the most part, but it's not perfect. The film is rather formulaic, and some of the stuff with Michael and Jovie fall a bit flat at times. The effects are mostly good, the music is fine, and overall this is a very delightful holiday film I solidly recommend.
June 9, 2006
cosmo313
Chris Weber

Super Reviewer

This is a great kids and adult film, the kids will love it for the obvious reasons but the adults will like it because of Ferrell. His simple innocent elf is very amusing, it works because he's just an average 6ft guy dressed as an elf and trying to do the things that a 'Christmas elf' would normally do, size permitting hehe this makes it even more amusing as he is seen as a wacko.

The way he gets over excited when he hears Santa is coming and when he mistakes a little person for one of Santa's little helpers...classic stuff. Of course like many other well known Christmas films is works because of the season, its Xmas, its in New York, you get that lovely warm feeling that the Big Apple seems to radiate at that time of year, it can't fail to win for both adults and kids.

You gotta be rather cold and miserable not to enjoy a silly jingle bells tale like this unless you really do hate Ferrell of course haha.
August 27, 2007
phubbs1

Super Reviewer

    1. Jovie: What were you doing in the women's locker room this morning?
    2. Buddy: I heard you singing.
    3. Jovie: What about the fact that I was naked in the shower?
    4. Buddy: I didn't know you were naked.
    – Submitted by Chris G (2 months ago)
    1. Santa: Sorry Buddy but... your dad is on the naughty list.
    2. Buddy: NOOOOOOOOOOOO!
    – Submitted by Vic P (3 months ago)
    1. Buddy: [standing over another stall] Did you see these toilets they're ginormous!
    – Submitted by Vic P (3 months ago)
    1. Buddy: You sit on a throne of lies!
    – Submitted by Maryanne R (4 months ago)
    1. Buddy: This place reminds me of Santa's workshop. Except it smells like mushrooms and everyone looks like they wanna hurt me.
    – Submitted by Julia L (5 months ago)
    1. Buddy: [Answers phone] Hello, this is Buddy. What's your favorite color?
    – Submitted by Hayden S (5 months ago)

Discussion Forum

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Latest News on Elf

June 14, 2010:
Elf: The Musical Is Broadway Bound
A musical adaptation of Will Ferrell's "Elf" is headed for Broadway, with a planned November debut.

December 18, 2006:
RT's Top Yuletide Comedies -- Christmas Countdown, Day One
Welcome to RT's Five Days of Christmas Countdown, where we serve up a different list each day of the...

November 21, 2006:
Will Ferrell Refuses "Elf 2" and "Old School 2"
There's been a few rumors flying around lately that Will Ferrell might be doing another...

Foreign Titles

  • Action Pack: Elf Quote-Along (DE)
  • Action Pack: Elf Quote-Along (UK)
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