Elf
I guess we'll never know for sure what happened this Christmas Eve in Central Park.
I can remember seeing Elf in theaters and laughing at the scene when he attempts to ride an escalator for the first time as if it had just premiered yesterday. Though it's actually been 20 years since Buddy the Elf made his way from the North Pole to the unfamiliar and larger-than-life New York City. Compared to movies like Miracle on 34th Street and It's A Wonderful Life, Elf still feels new to me, but it simultaneously feels like a lifetime ago when I realize that my three-year-old cousin watching it in 2023 is equivalent to me watching A Christmas Story (1983) in 2003.
New York City takes great pride in being the backdrop for films, which is why, for Elf's 20th anniversary, they celebrated by lighting the Empire State Building up green and yellow to match Buddy's elf costume and showing the movie at the Empire State Building throughout the holiday season. This was an opportunity I couldn't miss; therefore, on December 10th, I went to see Elf for its 20th anniversary celebration. We all went up to the 80th floor, where they'd set up a screen and seats to watch the movie in the very building where some of the filming had taken place 20 years earlier.
While I watch Elf every year at Christmas, nothing can compare to watching it on a big screen with a group of people connecting over how funny it is. I laughed harder at most of the scenes than I have in previous years, which reminded me of how important it is to include comedy in Christmas films, along with all the other messages of magic and believing.
The Polarization Of Will Ferrell
Elf is the first movie that comes to mind when I think of Christmas comedies, which makes it all the much harder to believe that some people don't find it funny and specifically dislike its leading star. For every person who loves Will Ferrell, there's another who can't stand him or his sense of humor. Will Ferrell has always been very different to me than other comedic actors like Adam Sandler or Jim Carrey.
He's known for over-the-top characters like Buddy or Brennan Huff from Step Brothers, but what I've always picked up on most is the way he utilizes his large frame (He's 6'3) and contrasts it with his childlike personality. This is what makes Buddy so comical, especially in comparison to the other elves at the North Pole, who are significantly smaller.
“It’s just nice to meet another human who shares my affinity for elf culture,”-Buddy, Elf.
Will Ferrell used the same style of comedy in 2023's biggest movie of the year, Barbie, when he played the CEO of Mattel. While the character was a powerful businessman in charge of getting Barbie out of the real world and back into Barbieland, he still emanated the innocence and immaturity of a little boy. I'm not sure what part of Will Ferrell's comedy turns some people off, though I have an ongoing theory that people who can't laugh at themselves and who aren't in touch with their silly side have a hard time laughing at Will Ferrell's unapologetic silliness.
One of my favorite Christmas performances of his outside of Elf is the deleted scene from Step Brothers where Brennan, an almost 40-year-old man, has a meltdown because he opened a wallet on Christmas Eve while his stepbrother Dale opened Hulk hands. Similar to Elf, he's able to utilize his childish persona despite his age to create an absurd scenario you can't help but laugh at.
Rewatching Elf at the Empire State Building with so many other fans reminded me that Elf is truly some of Will Ferrell's best comedic work. No one could hold back laughter as he attempted to hug a raccoon, screamed in excitement over Santa coming to Gimbels, or danced to Tag Team's "Whoomp! (There It Is)" in the mail room at his father's office.
To not be able to laugh at the silliness of Will Ferrell, especially in his performance as Buddy, would be a great misfortune that I am grateful I do not have. There is so much importance in finding joy around Christmas time, which Elf has brought people all over the world. In my opinion, this is what has kept it relevant for 20 years.
We Can Learn From Buddy's Childlike Perspective
Growing up around elves in the North Pole and being raised by Santa Claus and Papa Elf made it so Buddy never saw the struggles of the world. He sees everything through rose-colored glasses and expects New York City to be as magical and welcoming as the North Pole was the day Santa brought him home. Buddy gets himself into a lot of trouble with his childlike mindset, like when he disrespectfully calls a dwarf an elf and physically fights with Santa Claus at Gimbels because he doesn't like that he's impersonating the real Santa Claus.
“I just like to smile. Smiling's my favorite,” Buddy, Elf.
While there may be dangers to this kind of blind optimism, I could argue we can all learn something from the way Buddy sees the world, the same way the characters in the movie learned from him. Before Buddy came along, his father, Walter, played by the legendary James Caan, lived a pretty miserable life where he only cared about his job. As a result, his relationship with his family suffered, and his son, Michael, felt pretty insignificant.
When Buddy came around, Michael finally had a friend he could do fun things with, like decorating his house for Christmas or jumping up and down on the elevator. With Buddy, Michael found the connection he was yearning for in his father, but his father couldn't provide it to him. Buddy's blind optimism also benefitted his coworker at Gimbels, Jovie. Like most other New Yorkers Buddy encounters, Jovie isn't in the Christmas spirit as much as he is. She seems to find him over the top and, at times, incredibly annoying. She especially dislikes when he sneaks into the work bathrooms to perform a duet of "Baby It's Cold Outside" with her while she's taking a shower.
However, by the end of the film, Buddy and Jovie are back at the North Pole, introducing their daughter Suzie to Papa Elf. Buddy's able to win over the previously pessimistic Jovie because his positive attitude becomes magnetic. No matter what happens, like getting thrown in jail for fighting with fake Santa Claus, he never lets it jade his view of the world. With so much negativity, people crave those who can stay positive even in the most dire circumstances. Buddy brings that attitude to New York City and is able to enlighten the people he meets and win over Jovie in the process. However, the most inspiring change in the film certainly comes from how Buddy helps his father evolve.
Buddy's Relationship With His Father
According to the song Buddy sings to his father at the start of Elf, Walter never knew that Buddy was born. Walter's late girlfriend, Susan Wells, had him but never told him, and while Walter is now married with a new son in the present day, a scene where he's looking at an old photo of him and Susan proves he's still suffering from the loss. Though it's never explicitly stated, losing Susan could have contributed to why Walter is so pessimistic and incapable of expressing love or affection to his family.
"He's the worst dad in the world. All he does is work. All he cares about is money. He doesn't care about you or me or anybody,”-Michael, Elf.
When Buddy shows up, he expects his father to want to do all the things with him that he and Papa Elf did together. Unfortunately, Walter isn't capable of spending time with the son he does know about, and he's not very open to spending time with Buddy either. Buddy continues to see the best in his dad despite him wanting nothing to do with him throughout most of the film, which is telling of Buddy's character. In one scene, Michael gives his honest opinion of his dad, which is drastically different than Buddy's. While Michael holds deep resentment toward his father, Buddy still sees him as a hero.
Buddy's strained relationship with his father is a plot in the movie that's often overlooked by all the comical moments. Even though Buddy has a great relationship with the elves at the North Pole, he wants to know his biological dad, and he wants a connection with him. Like most young children, Buddy looks up to his dad and doesn't judge him for his mishaps in life, like making it onto Santa's naughty list.
Since most children see their parents on pedestals and Buddy has the mind of a child, he looks up to his father and thinks if his dad doesn't love him, it must be a reflection of himself. When Walter gets angry at Buddy and tells him to go away toward the end of Elf, Buddy accepts that everything is all his fault and shames himself for ruining his father's life.
"Buddy cares about everybody, all you care about is yourself,"-Michael, Elf.
However, Buddy is able to touch Michael, allowing him to finally stand up to his father and let him know how selfish his absence in his family's life has been. When Walter quits his job in order to spend the night searching for Buddy, we realize that despite his hesitance to admit it, Buddy actually has positively impacted his father's life. After Buddy saves Christmas, he spends the holiday at home, where his father enthusiastically plays the piano while Jovie sings along.
Bringing Christmas Spirit To New York City
Like all the Christmas movies that came before Elf and those that would come after, the magic of believing is a significant theme. Elf paints New Yorkers as workaholics who put their jobs and ambitions above all else and don't even bother to stop to enjoy the Christmas season. When Santa's sleigh breaks down at the end of Elf, it's up to Buddy to bring together those he's met and those he hasn't to reignite Christmas spirit through the power of belief. From the little girl he met in the doctor's office waiting room to his Scrooge-esque father, Jovie gets everyone singing which helps Santa Claus off the ground again.
"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear,"-Buddy, Elf.
In fact, Santa's sleigh is still struggling to take off while everyone is gathered outside Central Park singing, and it isn't until Walter finally joins in that Santa's able to soar through the sky. This is a full circle moment as Buddy set out to raise the Christmas spirit and reunite with his father. The ending of Elf signifies that Buddy needed to heal his relationship with his father and teach his father how to love and prioritize family in order for the Christmas spirit to rise again. The beauty in the ending of Elf is that we all have our own interpretations of what Christmas means, but Elf seems to suggest that spending time with those you love around the holidays is what matters most.