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IMDb > Elf (2003)
Elf
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Overview

User Rating:
6.8/10   36,317 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 4% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Jon Favreau
Writer (WGA):
David Berenbaum (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Elf on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
7 November 2003 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy | Family | Fantasy more
Tagline:
This holiday, discover your inner elf.
Plot:
After inadvertently wreaking havoc on the elf community due to his ungainly size, a man raised as an elf at the North Pole is sent to the U.S. in search of his true identity. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
2 wins & 7 nominations more
User Comments:
A star is born in this laugh-out-loud holiday comedy... more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Buddy - Der Weihnachtself (Germany)
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MPAA:
Rated PG for some mild rude humor and language.
Runtime:
97 min
Country:
USA | Germany
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
When she first meets Buddy, Jovie asks, "Did Crumpet put you up to this"? Crumpet is the name David Sedaris called himself while working as an elf, as recounted in his Christmas story anthology "The Santaland Diaries." David Sedaris's sister, Amy Sedaris appears in the film as James Caan's assistant, Deb. The usage of the name Crumpet may refer to Sedaris or may be a coincidence. more
Goofs:
Continuity: The position of the blue book in the executive's hand behind Buddy when he first meets and sings for his father changes repeatedly between shots. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Papa Elf: Oh, hello. You're, uh, you're probably here about the story. Elves love to tell stories. I-I'll bet you didn't know that about elves. There's, uh, probably a lot of things you didn't know about elves. Another, another interesting, uh, elfism, uh, there are only three jobs available to an elf. The first is making shoes at night while, you know, while the old cobbler sleeps.
Disgruntled Cobbler Elf: Lazy bum! Couldn't even make a clog!
Papa Elf: You can bake cookies in a tree. As you can imagine, it's, uh, dangerous having an oven in an oak tree during the dry season. But the third job, some call it, uh, "the show" or "the big dance," it's the profession that every elf aspires to. And that is to build toys in Santa's workshop.
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Movie Connections:
Referenced in 'Elf' Jukebox (2004) (V) more
Soundtrack:
Santa Claus Party more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
4 out of 4 people found the following comment useful:-
A star is born in this laugh-out-loud holiday comedy..., 23 December 2007
7/10
Author: moonspinner55 from redlands, ca

Charming Christmas confection--about a boy raised by elves in the North Pole who grows up and journeys to N.Y.C. in search of his biological father--puts a clever spin on even the most familiar gags, successfully walking a fine line between absurdist comedy and holiday schmaltz. Will Ferrell looks like a string-bean in yellow tights and, with his mass of curly hair peeking out from underneath his elf's hat, he could easily be used as a walking punchline. Fortunately, director Jon Favreau's handling of "Elf" is incredibly nimble, treating Ferrell and his naive character Buddy with the utmost respect; you can laugh at all the silly pranks without ever feeling guilty. Favreau's work is smooth, and he's assembled an incredible supporting cast of character actors to back his star, though some may find the climactic moments (involving Edward Asner as Santa Claus) a bit too literal--and the movie is certainly funnier before we get to this point. Still, the special effects are kept to a minimum in order to let the people shine...and that's not only refreshing, it's heart-warming. *** from ****

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