Thought I'd groan - but I guffawed instead!

Rating: 10/10 (29 December 2004)

I have to say, the negative comments for this movie are out of line - way out of line. Especially since, based on the promos, I expected them to be right on the money. If I'd read those reviews before seeing the movie, I never would have gone to see it. Hold on - that's exactly what happened until now.
Am I glad a local theater was having a free screening for kiddies and my six-year-old dragged me to see it. I have not seen a movie that provided so many belly laughs in years. I will now go buy the DVD.
I am a newly converted Will Farrell fan, surprised to find myself saying so. Elf was jam-packed with subtle (sometimes even cerebral) humor I hadn't expected. I braced myself for the typical sophomoric toilet humor mixed with not-so-thinly-veiled sexual innuendo which seems to pass for comedy lately. Imagine my thrill to find the lowest comedy in this film to be an unimaginably long belch followed by a line that even drew a "HA!" from prissy me.
OK, the reference to the short-statured man as an elf was pretty predictable, and in my opinion not terribly funny. But along with the eating of gross things, it apparently was there to toss a bone to those whose idea of humor might not have developed at the same rate as their physiques, and it certainly didn't cross the line the way some "family films" have.
If you are a parent or family-oriented person who is looking for a wholesome good time with a fun Christmas message to get you in the spirit, this is a must-have for your video collection.
If you are a would-be "artiste" or pseudo-intellectual who considers Spielberg a "hack", or if you prefer the frat-boy humor of lighting farts, and jokes about bodily functions, this is definitely not the show for you. You'll only relate to about 1/8 of the humor, and those parts are really intended for the younger audience. Also, you won't find sex, drugs or deep relationship twists. They managed to leave out angst and "life sucks" issues and don't even try to give any kind of "film noir" feel to a single scene. Nobody dies, and the only people who take themselves too seriously are the bad guys. There is a brief moment of "violence" in the toy store spat, but it really won't stack up to "The Matrix".
So use your common sense. This is a feel-good Christmas comedy, rated G for the whole family. If you want something dark and gritty, or something with inane low-brow humor, watch something else. Why would you watch a G-rated Christmas movie and expect anything other than light-hearted, somewhat predictable fun with a happy ending? This film goes the extra mile with Farrell avoiding the trap of overacting, and balancing his right-on-without-quite-going-over-the-top character with the understated, inarguable talents of the rest of the cast. This is combined with special effects that are so well executed they go almost unnoticed (rather than slapping you in the face, they quietly contribute to the story, adding to the atmosphere rather than taking over the scenes).
PS: I never thought I'd buy "Lou Grant" as Santa, but Ho-Ho-Ho-Boy was I wrong! -- OOPS. Too Punny; not funny. Trust me, the writers of Elf were much more skilled in their scripting!