Big Sugar Rush of a film

Rating: 10/10 (19 December 2018)

Elf is a film that will inevitably divide the critics. Some may consider it the greatest christmas movie ever made whereas others will scoff and declare it the greatest movie ever made in any genre. I mean why shouldn't a christmas movie be right at the top. It's vastly more entertaining that snoozefest Citizen (Candy) Kane for instance, and so is the acting and the story. I know I'm not declaring like for like but Elf is just....better
And it's all thanks to Will Ferrell. The supporting cast are great, especially Grinchy old James Cahn and brassy Zoey Deschanel the tough as nails new york princess who we see suddenly and completely disarmed by Ferrell's absolute innocent abroad. Who says girls are attracted to boys on Santa's naughty list?
And seriously who wouldn't want to discover that sugar addicted Will Ferrrell in an Elf's costume is actually their long lost and unknowingly begotten son? Ferrel is simply the only person I could imagine pulling this off. He's fantastic in this role, slowly conquering New York, probably the most cynical city in the world, with a palpable sense of pure joy and the kind of energy normally reserved for a brand new puppy. Gritty compelling cinema.