Elf is a near-perfect Christmas movie that demands an annual viewing around the holiday season — but there’s one specific way that the film has aged poorly. On paper, Elf sounds like a terrible idea that shouldn’t work. A grown man wandering around New York in an elf costume sounds more like nightmare fuel than the premise for a heartwarming yuletide classic. But Jon Favreau’s sincere direction and Will Ferrell’s unwavering commitment to the bit made Elf an unlikely hit when it arrived in theaters in 2003.
Although Elf 2 never happened, almost everything about Elf works. Buddy’s reconnection with his curmudgeonly father is a really touching story, brought to life by Ferrell and James Caan’s heartfelt performances. The quaint Rankin/Bass-style aesthetic gives the North Pole scenes a wonderfully cozy feel before the fish-out-of-water storyline kicks off in the Big Apple. Just about every gag in Elf lands — and just about every emotional turn, too. But there’s one aspect of Elf that hasn’t aged well, and holds it back from being a perfect movie.
Elf's Worst Aspect Is Its Romance Storyline
The Whole Love Story Is Inherently Creepy
Buddy’s reconciliation with the father that abandoned him, his bonding with the brother he never knew, and his discovery of the ups and downs of a life outside the North Pole all work as funny, moving, engaging storylines in Elf. But there’s one storyline that doesn’t work so well: the romance between Buddy and Jovie, played by Zooey Deschanel. It’s supposed to be the adorable love story of a simple man-child whose charming innocence wins the heart of a kind woman — but it doesn’t really play like that.
A Christmas classic, Elf is one of the most popular films to watch during the festive period. However, 20 years later, some elements don't quite land.
There’s something inherently creepy about the way Buddy and Jovie’s romance comes together. Their supposed meet-cute is when he sneaks into the bathroom while she’s taking a shower. And even after they’ve gotten over that transgression, Buddy’s childish whimsy undercuts some of their romantic moments. It’s pretty uncomfortable watching a man who doesn’t seem to have passed the emotional maturity of a child getting into an adult relationship — it’s similar to the so-called love story from Big.
Elf's Ending Gives Their Romance An Unexpectedly Grim Subtext
Buddy & Jovie's Happily-Ever-After Ending Has Some Dark Implications
At the end of Elf, Buddy and Jovie move to the North Pole and live happily ever after. But that apparently joyful ending has some really dark implications. Jovie moving to the North Pole and seemingly relocating into elf society with no problems suggests that she really didn’t have much going on in the real world, which is a sad aspect of the character that’s never really touched upon. Her ability to uproot her life without issue at the end of Elf implies that she doesn’t have any friends or family who would miss her.
Elf follows Buddy, a human raised as an elf at the North Pole. As an adult, he journeys to Manhattan to find his biological father, a work-driven businessman. The film explores Buddy's comedic attempts to navigate human society and his quest to bring holiday spirit to his family.
Runtime 97 minutes
CastWill Ferrell , James Caan , Bob Newhart , Ed Asner , Mary Steenburgen , Zooey Deschanel , Daniel Tay , Faizon Love , Peter Dinklage , Amy Sedaris , Michael Lerner , Andy Richter , Kyle Gass , Artie Lange , Leon Redbone , Ray Harryhausen , Claire Lautier , Ted Friend , Patrick Ferrell , Patrick McCartney , Jon Favreau , Lydia Lawson-Baird , Brenda McDonald , Annie Brebner
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English (US) ·