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# Review Ferrell giftwraps a holiday classic for moviegoers
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/review-ferrell-giftwraps-a-holiday-classic-for-moviegoers/
- Published: 2003-11-07T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T03:10:36.000Z
- Author: Dan Dunn
- Tags: Entertainment, Santa Monica, #archive-import

“Elf” is an instant holiday classic that establishes its star — Will Ferrell — as one of the very best comedic actors working today. Yep, folks, it’s that good, and director Jon Favreau and writer David Berenbaum deserve major kudos for providing Ferrell with all the material (and room) he needed to deliver a fantastic early Christmas present for moviegoers of all ages.

Ferrell stars as Buddy, an orphan raised by elves at the North Pole, who, after learning he’s human, sets out to find the father he never knew in New York City. Life in the Big Apple can be challenging, especially for a lumbering naïf clad in green and yellow elvish garb. But Buddy’s got a heart the size of Manhattan, and remains blissfully unaware that he’s as much of an outsider there as he is in Santa’s Workshop. Fish-out-of-water comedy is certainly nothing new, but Ferrell exudes such a limitless capacity to have fun as Buddy that we get swept up in the joy he finds in the mundane, such as riding a department store escalator or enjoying the “world’s best cup of coffee” at a greasy spoon. And while “Elf” is PG-rated, family-friendly fare, there’s an edge to Ferrell’s performance that suggests he hasn’t strayed too far from his “Old School” pedigree.

And speaking of old school, Ferrell isn’t the only one having a jolly good time. Several seasoned thespians get in on the action as well. Bob Newhart is deadpan-funny as ever as the elf who raised Buddy. His boss, Santa, is played with aplomb by lovable codger, Ed Asner. James Caan is spot-on as Walter Hobbs, Buddy’s frosty, workaholic father who doesn’t have time for his loving wife Emily (Mary Steenburgen, perfectly cast) or 10-year-old son Michael (Daniel Tay), let alone an oaf in an elf suit.

At Emily’s insistence, Buddy moves in to their Upper East Side apartment, and with childlike innocence proceeds to remind the Hobbs family and, ultimately, the rest of New York City of the true meaning of Christmas. Sounds hokey, right? Well, sure it is, but it just feels so good and makes you laugh so hard that even the most Scrooge-like among us will find it hard to pooh-pooh “Elf.” (Rated PG for some mild rude humor and language. Running time: 95 minutes)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 7, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/110703.pdf?ref=smdp.com)