“Elf” maintains a huge following of watchers year after.  And what’s not to love in this Christmas comedy with Will Ferrell?

For the uninitiated, Ferrell plays “Buddy” an orphan who as a baby accidentally made his way into Santa’s sack of gifts and journeyed back to the North Pole. Upon his discovery, the elves convince Santa to keep him, and he gets adopted by one of the elves.

However, as he grows Buddy’s triple the size of the usual elf. Finally while an adult, he overhears on elf telling another that he’s really from New York, and he’s <gasp> a human.  So Buddy—never really proficient in toy making anyway—heads off to New York to find himself and his father, a Walter Hobbs, who just happens to be on Santa’s naughty list for being—well—a jerk.

Buddy exudes an innocence that makes the viewer fear that New York will chew him up and spit him out. And it nearly does. He finds his dad who works at the Empire State Building, only to find that dear old dad thought Buddy had to be a singing “Santagram” due to his elf get-up.  When Buddy mentions his birth mother—and the name clearly rings a bell to Walter who is now married to someone else—Walter calls security and tosses Buddy onto the street.

Buddy lands over at Gimbels only to be taken as an employee (in an obvious riff on “Miracle on 34th Street”). Once there he learns that Santa is coming the next day, and he cannot contain his excitement.  He works wonders over night, and the “North Pole” area is transformed into a winter wonderland. Except when the fake Santa arrives, Buddy goes a little crazy and things go south fast.

He keeps pursuing Walter and eventually a DNA test is done to prove Buddy is not connected to Walter. Much to Walter’s surprise, Buddy is his son.

Buddy eventually moves in with Walter and his new wife and child, although Walter wants nothing to do with it whatsoever.  I won’t say much else in case you are one of the handful of people who have never seen this film, but I will say this: It gets high marks from me.

“Elf” while certainly a comedy hits home on what’s most important at Christmas and I’m giving it:

 

You should make time to watch this one if you never have, or enjoy it again!

Next up: “We’re No Angels”