An essential for the holidays alongside Love, Actually and probably Ferrell's most delightful work to date.

Rating: 9/10 (12 December 2015)

Probably the greatest Christmas movie of all time, Jon Favreau's Elf is made wonderful by Will Ferrell's disarmingly innocent performance as Buddy. Many of the best scenes are Ferrell in character walking around New York and interacting with people, places and things. A sweet screenplay and magical direction from Favreau also boost this beautifully novel idea.
Ferrell's deliriously happy Buddy is the film's heart and soul, but there's much to be said for James Caan's flawlessly cast Walter Hobbs, Buddy's biological father. Grumpy and irritated in that quintessentially "dad" kind of mood, Caan owns the role and performs even better in the film's final warm scenes. Zooey Deschanal is cute but her romance with Buddy is carried by the writing and Ferrell's committed fervor, as Deschanal drones the film's lines with dead eyes and little energy. Faizon Love as the manager of a toy store that Buddy accidentally works at for a day is a scene stealer.
Elf is sweet and cheesy in that ideal Christmas film way. Its an essential for the holidays alongside Love, Actually and probably Ferrell's most delightful work to date.