Christmas films are often repetitive and they (as of late) tend to disappoint as people continue to recreate the same few stories over and over again. While time and time again, Christmas films disappoint, there are a few exceptions; Jon Favreau’s Elf is one of those exceptions. From the film’s opening scene it was apparent that the upcoming journey would be like nothing audiences had seen before in a Christmas film. Favreau still talks very much about the idea of family, an idea that is common in Christmas films, but he does it in a way that has never been seen before. He focuses so much on the comedy and conveying a story of love in an innocent way that the story, while containing some similarities to what seems like billions of other family-related films, flows so well and appears completely different than anything seen before. While Will Ferrell can be hit or miss as an actor, it was clear, early on, that the role of Buddy the Elf was one that would fit his acting style very well. Buddy perfectly encapsulates the Christmas spirit and conveys it in a way that is enjoyable for children, but still appeals to adults and fans of Ferrell. He is loud, energetic and full of love and excitement, appealing to all age brackets and making for a film that is sure to please a large audience. While Buddy, in general, works well as a character for Ferrell, Favreau and writer, David Berenbaum, put together a scene that was completely Ferrell. The scene in question involves Ferrell and Mark Acheson (Mailroom Guy) drinking, telling asinine stories and dancing uncontrollably with the rest of the mailroom. This scene was clearly created to showcase what Ferrell is best known for, loud and in your face comedy; this scene was successful. As a whole, including writing, directing and acting, this film lives up to any and all expectations people may have for a comedy and, as a Christmas film, this is one of the best of all time, comparable to the likes of A Christmas Story (1983) and The Santa Claus (1994). https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0319343/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
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