Elf - Page 2

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Page 2

Nov 18, 2003

Suffice it to say the movie was an interesting experience, given what had transpired previously. But, wait: There's more: She laughed when I laughed. I laughed when she laughed. We laughed together. As the end credits rolled, she stood, looked at me for a moment, smiled, and said, 'Hope your dog likes the toys.'

You weren't expecting that, were you? Probably not. But it does allow me a segue to the movie at hand: "Elf".

Here is a movie that shouldn't work, but it does. Of course, there is reason for why you might initially think what I did: Will Ferrell in a comedy about Christmas? Dear lord! And Ed Asner as Santa Claus? Oh, lawdy. And Ferrell as an Elf in a Christmas movie? Say it ain't so! But give it just a few seconds and you quickly realize that what you expected is completely unfair, because this is an enjoyable movie. It is a movie filled with the Christmas spirit. It is a film--yes, a film--that has heart, soul, a brain, and a sense of humor throughout.

All right: I must concede: It is a wicked sense humor. But not a wicked sense of humor like "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas". A nice, polite, gentle wicked sense of humor that is at once touching but sly.

Much of the reason for why this works owes much to the casting: James Caan as the elf's biological father, Bob Newhart as his adoptive father, Mary Steenburgen as Caan's wife, Zooey Deschanel as the girl who works in the department store, who falls in love with the oversized elf, Peter Dinklage, who played the dwarf in "The Station Agent", who makes an memorable appearance, the aforementioned Ed Asner as the jolly old elf himself, and, of course, Will Ferrell as an elf.

I suggest that had any other comedic actor attempted the role Ferrell took on here the odds would be very good the movie would fail. Why? I suggest it owes a great deal to Ferrell's physical comedic tendencies, which echo John Cleese, often as the Minister of Silly Walks, his boy-next-door looks and mannerisms, and his undeniable talent.

But I digress. Something must also be said about the direction, by Jon Favreau, and the screenplay by David Berenbaum. Something tells me, given the likely success of "Elf" at the box office, these two may very well go on to become one of the brightest comedy teams in a long time.

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