A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
a lot
Though people sometimes lose sight of what's important in life, they can find their way back. The holiday spirit is based on believing rather than seeing, and generosity, kindness, and earnestness can win over even the most cynical individuals. Family can take many different forms, from a human living among elves to a blended family in the city. All of that said, some of the film's humor comes from references to bodily functions: pooping, burping, peeing, and throwing up.
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Positive Role Models
a lot
Buddy is cheerful, well-intentioned, creative, and grateful for what he has. He brings laughter and joy to others and is a loyal and giving friend. Buddy's unique and trusting nature at first makes him an object of ridicule, but he later becomes a stellar example to the people he encounters, even the most jaded and self-involved among them, to find joy in the little things. His family and friends, from his co-worker Jovie to his own father, learn and demonstrate curiosity, creativity, compassion, gratitude, and integrity.
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Diverse Representations
a little
Main characters are White. A minor Black character, Gimbel's Manager (Faizon Love), attempts to box in Buddy's creativity, demanding he conform to society's norms. He's one of the only characters who isn't transformed by Buddy's loveable charm. All other non-White representations are surface-level, limited to carollers, store shoppers, or additional extras on the streets of New York. A visiting author, Miles Dench (Peter Dinklage), is a little person who's a best-selling children's book author. Despite being grumpy and unlikeable, he's the butt of elf jokes and later has his ideas stolen. The movie has two named women characters: Jovie (Zooey Dechanel), Buddy's love interest, and Emily (Mary Steenburgen), Buddy's stepmother. Both embrace Buddy with open arms, after warming up to his carefree ways. They allow Buddy to be himself, sharing the magic of Christmas with everyone. The film celebrates a blended family, with Buddy learning that he was adopted by elves but easily accepted when he's reunited with his birth father, stepmother, and half brother.
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Violence & Scariness
very little
Cartoonish action in several instances: Santa wrestles with an elf; park rangers look ominous as they chase Santa and his reindeer-driven sleigh on Christmas Eve; Buddy is hit by a taxi but immediately springs up, uninjured; a near attack by a ferocious-looking raccoon.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
very little
Dating, a bit of romantic tension, and one sweet kiss between two main characters. A woman is naked in the shower singing as Buddy listens in and sings along from a separate part of the bathroom; nothing graphic is seen.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
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Language
very little
Infrequent swearing/potty language includes "pissed," "pee," "hell," "damn," "crap," and "up yours." Comedy at the expense of a little person who is called an elf and takes offense.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.
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Products & Purchases
some
Lots of product placement, including numerous toys in Santa's workshop and the store where Buddy works: Monopoly, Etch-a-Sketch, Lego, etc. Other scenes feature Chanel, Kodak, Clinque, Pop Tarts, Coca-Cola, Tamiflu, and more.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
a little
In one scene played for laughs, two important characters add whiskey to coffee and later are shown to be quite drunk. Wine is consumed during dinner on more than one occasion. A burping gnome is said to have been drinking.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Elf is a light-hearted Christmas comedy starring Will Ferrell as a fun-loving human, raised by elves, who makes his way to New York for a holiday adventure. Although there's some potty language and cursing ("pissed," "hell," "damn," etc.) and a few references to bodily functions, it's family friendly at its core. The few action sequences (galloping rangers chasing Santa in Central Park, a brief confrontation with a scary raccoon, and some scuffles in a department store) aren't really threatening, and no one is injured. Though the movie is 100% on board with the magic of Christmas, some characters are less-than believers in Santa, and kids talk about the possibility of parents being the ones behind the presents. But the movie's messages about honesty, acceptance, and affection for all humanity are clear and positive. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
In ELF, Will Ferrell stars as Buddy, a human raised as one of Santa's elves who discovers at age 30 that he has a real father named Walter (James Caan) who lives in New York City and is on Santa's "naughty" list. Buddy leaves the North Pole to find Walter, knowing only what he's learned from the elves. (Thus, he's a whiz at making snowflake decorations and spreading good cheer, and he always assumes the best about everyone -- not especially useful skills in Manhattan.) Walter, who's in publishing, is in trouble because he has to find a successful new children's story by Christmas Eve. At first, he doesn't believe that Buddy is his son, but after Buddy passes a DNA test, Walter reluctantly brings him home to meet his wife (Mary Steenburgen) and son. Meanwhile, when Buddy stops by the Santa display at Gimbel's, he meets pretty Jovie (Zooey Deschanel). On his way to saving the day and ensuring a happy ending for everyone from the North Pole to NYC, Buddy gets many chances to do silly things as he experiences New York and gets to know Jovie and his family.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether Buddy is a role model. Do you think Elf intends for him to be someone people admire? Why, or why not? Are you more likely to laugh at him or with him? Why? What's the difference?
What change did you see in Buddy's dad, Walter? Do you think he became a better person in the end? What do you think caused this change?
If you arrived in your town after 30 years at the North Pole, what do you think might surprise and delight you the way that the escalator and revolving door surprised and delighted Buddy?
How do the characters in Elf demonstrate curiosity and integrity? What about compassion and gratitude? Why are these important character strengths?
Movie Details
- In theaters: November 7, 2003
- On DVD or streaming: November 16, 2004
- Cast: James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel
- Director: Jon Favreau
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: New Line
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Holidays
- Character Strengths: Compassion, Curiosity, Gratitude, Integrity
- Run time: 90 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: some mild rude humor and language
- Last updated: June 3, 2024
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