Wacky Spiritual Successor to the Tacky Holiday Tales of Yore

Rating: 8/10 (28 November 2016)

A great excuse for Will Ferrell to run around in holiday garb, drawing sidelong glances from the sidewalk-strollers of Manhattan. Ferrell is the ultimate man-child, a six-and-a-half foot mess of arms and legs in green tights, buckled shoes and a pointy hat, matching the elvish wardrobe of 1964's Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. As physical comedy and ridiculous enthusiasm is his forte, Elf makes for an excellent vehicle, but it's also loaded with a swath of supporting talent (admittedly, another of the comedian's calling cards). Zooey Deschanel (somewhat unrecognizable in blonde hair) is a good fit as his skeptical, frayed love interest, but the best work comes from James Caan, Peter Dinklage, Amy Sedaris, Andy Richter, Kyle Gass and especially Bob Newhart as his sweet, yet long-suffering, adoptive father on the North Pole. Genuinely funny, warm, sugary and spirited; an unexpectedly effective successor to the Christmas classics it seemingly sets out to roast. Worth adding to the annual rotation.