Elf (*1/2)
review by Jon Waterman

A baby that found his way into Santa’s bag ends up in the North Pole. There the elves raise him as one of their own. After thirty-something years pass, Buddy the elf must leave. Too big for the small world he knows, he finds himself feeling small in a big world (in New York City). The only thing he has left to hold onto is his biological family.

I can understand where the film wanted to go with all of this stuff, but it just turned out to be a little too much with not enough effort. We have a fish out of water scenario, a love story, family trying to reconnect and get in touch with each other, the belief in Santa issue, making the dad’s career continue, and throwing in as many jokes as possible. It’s too many dramatic or sappy elements to combine with a comedy. Pick two. Adding subplot after subplot just to add substance doesn’t really work. When people think of Will Ferrell (Buddy), they expect a dumb comedy. Dumb comedies are usually pretty slim in the storyline area. I understand the concept of making something a family film and trying to put heart into a holiday movie, but that wasn’t even done right.

The movie just isn’t that funny. It made me laugh, sure, but not that much. The funniest parts were the ones in which nothing was really happening. Buddy would be walking down the street and all of a sudden get hit by a taxi. It’s unexpected and physical and funny. The written jokes that deal with the situation could have been and should have been better. There are plenty of talented comedians acting in this movie. You have Ferrell, Bob Newhart, Amy Sedaris (“Strangers With Candy”), Kyle Gass (“Tenacious D”) and Andy Richter. I don’t know how much they were allowed to improvise, but I bet a lot of great material could have come from letting them flow on the set.

Perhaps I’m ignoring the family side of the movie, but when I think comedy, I think laughing. I didn’t get enough laughs out of this. Without that factor keeping the non-parents going, the film falls mostly flat. I know some will like it and find the obvious jokes funny and find the non-comedic stuff cute or charming, but if you haven’t seen it by now, wait for it to hit television. It’s not worth the rush.

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