Elf; Finding yourself with spirit of Christmas
Jon Favreau's 2003 movie Elf is a romantic fantasy that the whole family can enjoy, with bits of comedy sprinkled throughout. Buddy (Will Ferrell) grew up in the North Pole and is curious as to why he is different than all the other elves. He eventually learns that he isn’t from the North Pole, and his real dad lives in New York City. We follow Buddy on his exciting journey to find his father and spread the spirit of Christmas throughout the city, with the help of Buddy’s love interest Jovie (Zooey Deschanel).
Favreau manages to capture what it is like to be different from everyone else while trying to fit in, by showing what makes each character different and making it something that kids, or people in general, can relate to and maybe even learn from. The movie takes off when Buddy finds out that he is different compared to the other elves, resulting in him feeling like he doesn’t belong. At the North Pole what makes him different is the fact that he is bigger than everyone else and works significantly slower than the elves. Similarly, when Buddy finds himself in New York City, he is different in terms that he looks different and acts differently, and again feeling like he doesn’t belong. These kinds of issues are what many kids go through today, and putting it into a plot that kids will like to watch and understand, is a better way to send the message that it is ok to be different.
I personally love this movie and I watch it every year, just because it is something that my whole family enjoys, no matter the age. Though this movie may seem to have a message that seems to be a little gloomy for a Christmas movie, the subtle and light comedy makes it the perfect family movie and a personal favorite.
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