Spreads the Usual Dose of Holiday Cheer

Rating: Null/10 (30 November 2004)

"Elf" is a sweet, little holiday movie that tells the fish out of water story of Buddy the Elf, played by "Saturday Night Live" alum Will Ferrell. Buddy leaves the North Pole, and winds up in New York City, the oft chosen location for these types of stories. Following the tradition of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", goodness and cheer is pitted against anger and greed, as Buddy attempts to remind people of the Christmas spirit. Ferrell plays the awkward elf in a highly sympathetic fashion, providing laughs as well as an emotional connection for the audience. The plot line fulfills the sappiness expectation of holiday films, but the light, heartwarming humor of the film is really its strongest attribute. It lacks the timeless quality of "A Christmas Story", but it keeps from delving into the dark humor of "Scrooged!". "Elf" is a good natured film worth at least one viewing.