Product Details

• Actors: Will Ferrell, Edward Asner, Bob Newhart, James Caan, Mary Steenburgen
• Directors: Jon Favreau
• Writers: David Berenbaum
• Producers: Cale Boyter, David B. Householter, Jimmy Miller, Jon Berg, Julie Wixson Darmody
• Format: PAL
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 2 (Read more about DVD formats.)
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Run Time: 97 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (453 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00061S0QE
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #189,513 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Elf [Region 2]" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Elf is genuinely good. Not just Saturday Night Live-movie good, when the movie has some funny bits but is basically an insult to humanity; Elf is a smartly written, skillfully directed, and deftly acted story of a human being adopted by Christmas elves who returns to the human world to find his father. And because the writing, directing, and acting are all genuinely good, Elf is also genuinely funny. Will Ferrell, as Buddy the adopted elf, is hysterically sincere. James Caan, as his rediscovered father, executes his surly dumbfoundedness with perfect aplomb. Zooey Deschanel, as a department store worker with whom Buddy falls in love, is adorably sardonic. Director Jon Favreau (Swingers) shepherds the movie through all the obligatory Christmas cliches and focuses on material that's sometimes subtle and consistently surprising. Frankly, Elf feels miraculous. Also featuring Mary Steenburgen, Bob Newhart, Peter Dinklage, and Ed Asner as Santa Claus. --Bret Fetzer

Stills from Elf (click for larger image)

From The New Yorker

Will Ferrell with training wheels. The rambunctious comedian gives a funny, half-throttle performance as Buddy, a human raised by the elves at the North Pole. This good-spirited holiday comedy was directed by Jon Favreau, with nary a wannabe mobster or a swinger in sight. Even when Buddy comes to New York City, the movie is happy and chipper, with plenty of homages to Christmas movies past. The best scenes are a montage with Ferrell elfing around on the city streets, and his showdown with Peter Dinklage, in at least his third role as a touchy dwarf. -Michael Agger
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bonkers But Beautiful, November 13, 2003

By 

Phome "phome" (NY, USA) - See all my reviews

I loved this movie. It was totally bonkers: a human baby accidently ends up on the north pole and grows up among the elf community that supports Santa Claus. Buddy, as he comes to be known, knows that he's "special" however, since he can't keep up with the other elves. Never mind the fact that he's about three times as tall as any of them and barely fits in the shower.

When he's 30, and still young by Elf standards, he learns that he's really a human. Buddy decides to go in search of his father (who's on Santa's naughty list), to find out where he belongs. He walks to New York (through the Lincoln tunnel), and is immediately run over by a cab. The chain of events starts at that moment ...

Buddy is a delightful and enchanting character with many special talents and a childish personality. He is naive to the point of stupidity, but charming all the while. His lovable demeanour gains him friends in spite of his clumsy efforts. He is sweet, kind and generous. When his father at first rejects him, Buddy ends up in a department store where other elves (people who pretend to be Santa's elves) are working, and stays up all night to decorate the place. When the department store Santa isn't the real Santa, well, you can guess what happens ...

Buddy eats spaghetti covered in syrup, smarties and pop tarts; he gets drunk in the mail room of his father's office and his young half-brother shows him to ask a girl out on a date.

But all the while, things are looking bad for Santa Claus (and also Buddy's father). How will Buddy rescue the day? When Santa crashes his sleigh in Central Park, it's Buddy's moment to shine.

Abstract, enchanting, child-like madness all make up this beautiful movie. Absolutely delightful and recommended to viewers of all ages. If you want a Christmas feel-good movie, this is it.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SWEET, FUNNY AND ORIGINAL, August 21, 2004

By 

Darcie B (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Elf (Infinifilm Edition) (DVD)

I rarely go see movies twice, but after taking my four children, I treated my parents and watched it again! You fall in love with Buddy, you just can't help it! Will Ferrell is not the kooky nut in this one as in most of his movies, he truly shows the innocent, sweetness of Buddy the elf. Full of laughs, and not as predictable as you might think. I just can't wait until it is released to purchase. I will own this one, please note that after viewing you will need to decorate your house for Christmas immediately !! :)

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A real "Feel Gooder"!, March 22, 2004

By A Customer

Elf will land a spot alongside The Grinch (cartoon), Charlie Brown & A Christmas Story in my holiday video library! Will Farrell was hilarious & touching as the ever-cheerful,naive and polite Buddy. Bob Newhart, deadpan & stuttering as ever, was the perfect Papa Elf. The rest of the cast were ideal picks. A nice movie & a clever story. I needed a "feel-gooder" the day I watched it, and I wasn't disappointed.