Imagine growing up and not knowing you are different than those around you. Would you feel nervous or scared? For Day 25 of our Christmas Film Advent, we look at the movie Elf.
Will Ferrell portrays Buddy, a human raised by elves. As a baby, he is in an orphanage. While Santa Claus makes his deliveries at the orphanage, Buddy notices a teddy bear and crawls into Santa Claus’s sack. Buddy can stay at the North Pole and Papa Elf, played by Bob Newhart, becomes Buddy’s adopted father. When Buddy is 30, he finds out he is actually a human. He is also told about his father and goes on a journey to New York City in the hopes of finding his father.
When Buddy arrives in New York City, he does not understand the human world. He eventually finds his father, Walter, working at the Empire State Building. Walter thinks Buddy was sent to his office as a Christmas-gram. After hearing about Susan Wells, Walter gets Buddy removed from the building. Still in his elf outfit, Buddy is mistaken for a Gimbels employee and starts working in the store, where he befriends Jovie, who just wants to get through the holidays. When Santa Claus arrives, he is shocked the mall Santa isn’t real and the two get into a fight. Buddy spends a day in jail and is bailed out by Walter, who reluctantly takes him home to meet his stepmother Emily and half-brother Michael. More mishaps occur and Buddy eventually leaves the family.
Buddy runs into Santa Claus in Central Park on Christmas Eve, whose sleigh crashed in the park. This captures the attention of news stations and other New Yorkers. While Buddy tries to help Santa Claus fix the sleigh, he learns that the last bit of Christmas spirit has gone. Jovie is in the crowd at Central Park. She tries to spread Christmas cheer and leads a sing-along to “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” Eventually, the crowd, including Walter and Michael, sing along. The sleigh makes its way over Walter, showing the Christmas spirit has returned to Central Park.
Elf is a feel-good movie that is great to watch during the holidays. It has plenty of funny moments, along with moments where you sympathize with Buddy. Take some time this holiday season and get into the Christmas spirit with this movie.