Elf - great fun for the whole family

Rating: 8/10 (5 November 2003)

I just saw an advanced screening of ELF, and both the packed house and I loved it. Will Farrel has now broken free of his Saturday Night Live characters and will shine as a comedy star. It is no wonder he will now be invading movie screens 4-5 times a year.
The film's story had the potential to be a sappy tearjerker that only small children would tolerate but Ed Asner and Bob Newhart's strong supporting performances save face for the adult audience. Newhart's deadpan delivery is a perfect fit for a 450 year-old, single elf. Asner delivers a great performance as Santa Claus. James Caan makes a great Scrooge type character.
So often a movies funniest scenes are revealed in the trailer; this is not the case with Elf. Unlike the tedious filler placed between the weak gags in Scary Movie 3, Elf had an enjoyable mix of slapstick and plot driven humor. Moviegoers were so caught up in the story that they were singing along during the film's finale. There was even a round of applause for the enjoyable holiday treat.
There is no deep meaning to this film so there is no need for a long-winded review.
**** (out of 5)