Christmas, baby, Christmas

Rating: 8/10 (9 November 2003)

Greetings again from the darkness. Director Jon Favreau (the greatness of "Swingers", also the doctor in "Elf") provides the seasons first touch of holiday spirit. Will Ferrell is perfect as the wanna-be/thought-I-was six foot three elf. This film works because it has a nice little story (actually a couple of them) that provide the framework for some classic comedy scenes. The VERY attractive and talented Zooey Deschanel ("the Good Girl" "Mumford") is very good as Buddy's co-worker and friend. I am looking forward to seeing just how good of an actress she will become. She has the look to play a love interest or the bad guy/girl role. A wonderful supporting cast helps make this one work. James Caan as the Scrooge character and Ed Asner as Santa are both perfect, as is Bob Newhart as Ferrell's adopted elf father. The key role of Caan's son/Ferrell's brother Michael is played well by Daniel Tay (played Harvey Pekar as a kid in one of this year's best films "American Splendor"). Also nice to see Peter Dinklage (from another of this year's best films "The Station Agent") in a bizarre, yet brief role as an angry, children's writer for hire. This is definitely one you can take the whole family to. There were kids in the audience from ages 2 to 80. Go with the Christmas spirit, as this is not Shakespeare!