So we come to the film that kind of started this whole thing off for me, 2003’s Elf. I’ve been saving this one until nearer the end of my quest as, for me, it’s still a stone cold classic and I really want to end this thing on a high. Will Ferrell and his particular brand of loud, mental, absurdist humour really hits the spot. Surprisingly, though Jon Favreau’s film has since become a massive hit and cultural phenomenon, it wasn’t a huge success at the time, only gradually becoming a cult favourite through word of mouth and extended repeats on TV.
And rightly so. Elf is a merry, silly, thoroughly enjoyable time at the movies, getting the balance of ridiculous humour and festive wholesomeness just right. Sure, it all spills into extreme, sickly-sweet sentiment by the spectacular Santa-saving, carol-singing crescendo but then it’s a rare Christmas film that doesn’t.
This one has a great premise made all the more enjoyable by Ferrell’s perfect casting as Buddy the ‘Elf’ - a thirty-something human guy who accidentally ended up at the North Pole as a baby. Oblivious Buddy has led a blissfully unaware existence, raised by Santa’s elves to build toys and spread cheer, believing he’s an elf himself, albeit a 6 ft 3 one. Ferrell, no stranger to playing over-the-top silly roles, plays the character just right - like a grown man who never lost his boyish sense of enthusiasm for pretty much everything and for whom “smiling is my favourite”.
Thing is, as sweet as this character is, Favreau takes care to make a film that still feels edgy. The masterstroke is having Buddy discover he’s really human, then travel off in search of his long lost dad to New York where everyone just assumes he’s insane. I’d love to see a version of this that cuts out the multi-coloured, child-friendly opening twenty minutes at the North Pole and leaves the audience genuinely wondering whether Buddy actually is stark, raving bonkers. That would be cool.
Mind you, those early scenes are packed with some of the movie’s greatest sight gags, with the colossal Buddy towering over his elfin comrades, squatting on tiny chairs, squashing his ‘pappa’ elf (Bob Newhart) when he needs a hug and struggling to wash in a tiny shower. Ferrell’s wide-eyed, innocent performance really sells these moments and the mad idea that this hulking goliath of a man really has no idea he’s not an elf.
Things really kick into high gear when Buddy hits NYC in search of his publisher dad Walter (James Caan), who is – gasp! – on Santa’s naughty list. It’s a stroke of genius having Caan and Ferrell as this seriously mismatched pair, Caan oozing awkward dumbfounded rage any time sprightly, exuberant Buddy interferes in his hectic life.
The film’s standout moments come when Buddy first arrives in the city, the ultimate fish out of water, joyfully bounding around in his green tights and pointy hat. He’s hilarious, gleefully shrieking as he spins through revolving doors, hops across zebra crossings and bursts into a mediocre café to congratulate the baristas on having the “World’s Best Cup of Coffee!” This sequence is topped off by my favourite bit where happily marching across the street he suddenly gets knocked down by a taxi. Don’t worry, he’s okay. A lot of the reactions from passers-by in these scenes seem real and I can imagine Ferrell likely really did just run around Times Square, ad-libbing crazy shit as the camera crew tried to keep up.
There’s even more fun to be had when irate Walter has this man-child come to live in his home, weirding out his existing son Michael (Daniel Tay) and wife Emily (Mary Steenburgen). Elsewhere, there’s splendid support from Ed Asner who yet again plays a wisened, if crotchety Santa and Zooey Deschanel as streetsmart, no-nonsense department-store ‘elf’ Jovie who can’t resist Buddy’s infectious positivity. A truly classic moment that sees them duet on old standard ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ is both spellbinding and hilarious.
I could go on – there’s so much to love here. It’s easy to see why the popularity of this one has grown, seeing it become an established holiday staple. It’s that rare film that balances warmth, intelligence and a sharp sense of humour.
I remark to Katie while watching this that this is the only film I can think of where Ferrell doesn’t swear his head off, or act like a dotard or run around naked. Despite this, the funnyman is the movie – it’s genius casting and a timeless role he'll long be remembered for.
I’m not ashamed to say that, when watching this today, when NYC’s Buddy-inspired festive good cheer magically makes Santa’s broken sleigh fly, just as the film’s score bursts into a rousing crescendo with Walter singing his heart out, I burst into tears myself. I’m quite sure this has much to do with nervous exhaustion – watching these films every day for a year has messed me up – and also likely to do with the fact that tomorrow this insane mission will finally be over. Whatever it was, I feel compelled to grab my daughter close and give her a Christmas Eve kiss.
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