Plot
After inadvertently wreaking havoc on the elf community due to his ungainly size, a man raised as an elf at the North Pole is sent to the U.S. in search of his true identity.
Release Year: 2003
Rating: 6.8/10 (61,897 voted)
Critic's Score: 64/100
Director:
Jon Favreau
Stars: Will Ferrell, Edward Asner, Bob Newhart
Storyline Buddy was a baby in an orphanage who stowed away in Santa's sack and ended up at the North Pole. Later, as an adult human who happened to be raised by elves, Santa allows him to go to New York City to find his birth father, Walter Hobbs. Hobbs, on Santa's naughty list for being a heartless jerk, had no idea that Buddy was even born. Buddy, meanwhile, experiences the delights of New York City (and human culture) as only an elf can. When Walter's relationship with Buddy interferes with his job, he is forced to reevaluate his priorities.
Cast: Will Ferrell
-
Buddy
James Caan
-
Walter
Bob Newhart
-
Papa Elf
Edward Asner
-
Santa
Mary Steenburgen
-
Emily
Zooey Deschanel
-
Jovie
Daniel Tay
-
Michael
Faizon Love
-
Gimbel's Manager
Peter Dinklage
-
Miles Finch
Amy Sedaris
-
Deb
Michael Lerner
-
Fulton
Andy Richter
-
Morris
Kyle Gass
-
Eugene
Artie Lange
-
Gimbel's Santa
Leon Redbone
-
Leon the Snowman
(voice)
Taglines:
This holiday, discover your inner elf.
Release Date: 7 November 2003
Filming Locations: New York City, New York, USA
Box Office Details
Budget: $33,000,000
(estimated)
Opening Weekend: $31,113,501
(USA)
(9 November 2003)
(3337 Screens)
Gross: $220,443,451
(Worldwide)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
When this screenplay first emerged in 1993, Jim Carrey was attached to star in the lead.
Goofs:
Audio/visual unsynchronized:
When Jovie is singing in the shower, after Buddy joins in she stops singing but her voice can still be heard.
Quotes:
[first lines]
Papa Elf:
Oh, hello. You're, uh, you're probably here about the story.
[the pages flip to show Papa Elf talking to the camera]
Papa Elf:
Elves love to tell stories. I-I'll bet you didn't know that about elves. There's, uh, probably a lot of things you didn't know about elves. Another, another interesting, uh, elfism, uh, there are only three jobs available to an elf. The first is making shoes at night while, you know, while the old cobbler sleeps.
[Cuts to elves doing work on the cobbler's shoes while the cobbler snores with his head on the table]
Disgruntled Cobbler Elf:
Lazy bum! Couldn't even make a clog! Papa Elf:
You can bake cookies in a tree.
[Cuts to exterior view of a tree, which bursts into flames]
Papa Elf:
As you can imagine, it's, uh, dangerous having an oven in an oak tree during the dry season.
[the elves inside run out screaming]
[...]
User Review
This is a wonderful, original and perfectly portrayed film.
Rating: 10/10
This was one of my favorite movies in 2003. Will Ferrell is brilliant
as the Elf. The supporting cast is great too, especially Bob Newhart as
his elf "dad". The characters are well written and it is a refreshing
film to get lost in. Will Ferrell plays the elf with such innocence, he
is so funny! This is not just a Christmas film but when the DVD comes
out I will be watching "Elf" in July. The story progresses nicely,
there are many lessons to be learned as you watch this movie. It
touched my heart in many ways. I highly recommend this movie for kids
AND adults, you won't regret it. Treat yourself and watch this
"original" movie. Hollywood needs to make more like this.
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