The last few films I reviewed have been an absolute struggle. In fact, the majority of films I have reviewed for this challenge have been below average. Way below average. I felt like it was probably time that I reviewed a film that I know I like. I needed the respite from the shit I've been sitting through. Step up 'Elf' (2003). I have seen this film countless times and I can easily say that it is one of my favourite Christmas films. The bar is admittedly pretty low, but that's neither here nor there. It had been a pretty long time since I last saw this film, however, and so I was curious as to whether I would still enjoy it as much. I am happy to say that it holds up. Mostly. The film follows Buddy (Will Ferrell), a human who has been raised by elves. When he finds out that he is in fact a human, Buddy sets off to New York to find his father, Walter Hobbs (James Caan), who doesn't know that Buddy even exists. He struggles to fit in to New York life and his Father wants nothing to do with him. It is then up to Buddy to build a connection with his father and his new family, whilst finding love and spreading Christmas cheer.
This film holds up in how enjoyable it is. The concept is a really fun one and leads to a lot of great comedy sequences. The whole montage of Buddy exploring New York when he first arrives is still great and I still love the whole mail room scene. The look of the film is also great. The New York sets are your standard fare and wouldn't be out of place in a hundred other New York based christmas films. But the north pole sets are all great. I love the Truman Show-esque aesthetic, where everything looks not quite real. It fits into the whole vibe and feeling that they create. Most of the special effects hold up pretty well, except for a terrible looking CGI inflatable nutcracker which looks like absolute shit. The aspect of the film that I think could bev better is that a lot of the relationships between the characters seem rushed. This is especially noticeable with the relationship between Buddy and Jovie (Zooey Deschanel). Jovie goes from thinking Buddy is a bit of a mental creep to falling in love with him really quickly without any real motivation to do so. This is also the case with Buddy and Walter and Walter and his other son, Michael (Daniel Tay). Its the redemption of Walter in both situations that seems a bit rushed. None of this is a massive problem in the grand scheme of the film, it is just an aspect that I hadn't noticed before. The rest of the narrative holds up really well. The pacing is solid, the comedy flows really well and the characters all have clear personalities and are likeable. I do think it says a lot about me as I've got older that I do empathise with Walter a lot more. When I was younger I always thought he was a grouch, but now I completely understand why he flips at Buddy and gets pissed off. Maybe... I've become the grouch?
All the performances in this film are also very solid. From the main players to the bit part characters, everyone plays their role very well. The weakest performance probably comes from Deschanel, but I think she still does a decent job. Its a pretty similar situation with Mary Steenburgen's performance, playing Emily Hobbs. It is a fine performance, but she is effectively just playing herself. Again, she still does a good job. James Caan does a great job as Walter. You really feel his exacerbation and annoyance in every scene, and when flips you get the sense that he is going to go all 'The Godfather' (1972) and absolutely wail on Buddy. Will Ferrell is the undisputed star of the show. He goes all out in the role and is perfect casting. He portrays childish innocence brilliantly, and his comedic timing is spot on. He is also not afraid to get involved with a bit of physical comedy which adds a whole other dimension to the performance. It says a lot about his performance that the character of Buddy is so endless quotable, even 16 years after the films released. This is probably Ferrell's most iconic performance, and I think that if he wasn't in this film I don't think it would be considered the christmas classic that it is today.
This film was a lovely cleanse from all the crap I've sat through recently. It may not be a perfect film and I didn't enjoy it as much as I used to. But it is still a really charming and enjoyable christmas film. The comedy still holds up well and there were a few jokes in there which I did not remember that got a good chuckle. All the performances are good, and of course Will Ferrell's turn as Buddy is pretty iconic at tjis point. Some of the film feels rushed and a couple of character interactions feel forced, but its not such a problem that it brings the film down much. Of course I am going to reccomend this film, although I feel like that its pretty obsolete to do. You most likely already know and love this film. No harm in giving it another watch.