Funny for children, but made for adults.

Rating: Null/10 (10 December 2003)

View from the Second Star: Elf
Elves, it seems, are good for one of three things. Building shoes while the shoemaker is asleep, making cookies and tea in trees, or manufacturing presents for all the good little girls and boys in Santa's workshop. "Elf", starring Will Ferrell, is the story of a human baby who snuck into Santa's toy bag while he was delivering toys to an orphanage. Santa, the kind hearted old fellow that he is, upon find this child in his toy sack, had this human baby raised in the North Pole amongst the elfish as one of their own. However, when a now fully grown Ferrel, learns of his mysterious history, he sets out for New York city to find his father and his past. Well actually not his past, just his father. sort of.
This movie was funny - and anyone who says it was otherwise isn't me. From intro to the credits, I chuckled my way along the twisted bewildering path down which Ferrel leads the audience. The costume alone was a slap-in-the-face; it had me giggling at least once every fifteen minutes. Will Ferrell is hilarious: his expressions, his mannerisms, and this innocent little Elf routine: gold my friends, gold. He was good on Saturday night live, he's great in Elf.
The story itself isn't really much more than a vehicle for Ferrell's parade of cutesy insane behavior. A workaholic father, a mom who cares, and a son who needs a friend, cliché if ever there was; yet somehow, a six foot elf-man really brings the whole thing together. No moment to cheesy, no "Dad I love you" ending. Its obvious that this film wasn't created to cater to the family audience; I think, moreover, this film was designed specifically not exclude the family while appealing Ferrels main fan base, the teens and twenty somethings, at the same time. We've seen comedy designs like this before; Shrek anybody? Another example would be Shrek.
The only grievances I have for this film revolve around the late third and forth quarter where things begin to slow down comedy wise. The "I'm an Elf in the city" routine works beautifully, but one can only laugh at the same thing for so long. Aside from the wrap up being a little boxy, the lagging denouement, this film's marginal errors are hardly noticeable to the always entertained eye.
A ridiculous setting, a heavily recycled story, and a man dressed in yellow tights. This movie has no point, but who cares - I sure didn't, and I usually care too! It works, and it's funny. Good for the kids, great for the dates. Not doing much Friday night, or any night for that matter? Why not go see Elf; if you don't have many friends you can always find people to sit with there.
7/10