Christmas Comes Early!
Elf Offers Holiday Nostalgia

They say Christmas surprises are some of the most cherished. This is no less true than with Elf, the new comedy starring Will Ferrell. The simple story with a ridiculously silly premise about a boy raised by elves is delightful, funny, and totally heartwarming.

The story, told by "Papa Elf" (Bob Newhart), concerns a young orphan who stowed away in Santa's pack one Christmas Eve and was subsequently raised by the elves. Of course, Buddy (Ferrell) eventually comes to realize that he is not like the other elves. When he finds out the truth, he sets off on a voyage to the magical New York City to find his father, Walter (James Caan).

Life in New York City is not the winter wonderland Buddy imagined, but he perseveres because of his wide-eyed optimism. He finds himself thrown out of his father's office and winds up in Gimbel's department store where he is mistaken for a store employee. There he meets a store "elf" named Jovie (Zooey Deschanel) and falls in love at first sight. Through a misunderstanding about the store Santa, Buddy winds up in jail only to be rescued by Walter. Soon he is bringing his special brand of Christmas magic to everyone around him.

The story follows two paths, one is Buddy as a stranger in a strange land, trying to make friends and experience new things. The other is about Buddy's relationship with his father. The idea of an adopted son seeking out his real father is, even on its own, a touching and often tense story. The fact that Buddy's father is "on the Naughty List" doesn't make things easier for him. Yet, even though Walter is willing to take him in, Buddy's quest for acceptance by his father is still ongoing and becomes the centerpiece of the film.

The entire cast is perfect for this film, from the excellent casting of veteran actor Ed Asner as Santa Claus to Caan as the Scrooge-like Walter. Deschanel is a delightfully fresh talent who plays a jaded but sweet love interest for Ferrell. Her singing voice, which provides one of the funniest moments in the film as she sings "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Ferrell, is beautiful and strong. (She also sings with Leon Redbone over the closing credits, so stick around for the music.)

Christmas movies are 90 percent nostalgia and 10 percent new ideas. The key to making a great Christmas film is to tug at the old heart strings in a way that makes the audience feel that they are remembering something from their own childhood while still seeming fresh and original. This is no easy task.

From the very beginning, Elf offers adults a mirror of their own Christmas past with a North Pole that is more than a little reminiscent of the Rankin-Bass animated specials like Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus is Coming to Town. There are painted snowflakes, animated animals, a candy cane forest, and even a talking snowman named Leon (voiced by Redbone).

While some of the humor of Elf is gross (for instance, Ferrell eats some gum stuck to a handrail on a New York City street), all of it is either appropriate for children or so subtle the children won't understand what their parents are laughing about. The fact the humor stayed innocent was a welcome surprise. A good family film is so hard to find!

Elf is overwhelming with laughs, but it also has a wonderful message about the Christmas spirit and its ability to create magic. It may sound sappy, but the climax of the movie is so heartwarming it actually brought tears to my eyes. Maybe it was the sight of people joining together in their common belief of Christmas spirit, or maybe it was the singing. Then again, it could just be nostalgia in my eyes.

MY RATING: 9 out of 10.

RATED: PG
RUN TIME: 95 min.