Elf
2003 · Movie · PG · 97 min · ★ 6.7 · 76% critics
On Christmas Eve, a young boy accidentally ends up at the North Pole and is raised to help with toy-making by Santa’s helpers. As an adult who feels out of place, he heads to Manhattan to find his real father and discover where he truly belongs.
Also known as Le lutin · Enchanted
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Streaming on Paramount+.
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Details
- Years
- 2003
- Release date
- 2003-11-07
- Language
- English
- Rated
- PG
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Critic score
- 76/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.7/10 (4,555 votes)
- Box office
- $225,097,437
- Budget
- $33,000,000
About
You’ll likely enjoy Elf if you want an upbeat holiday classic with big laughs and heart; Not for you if you dislike Will Ferrell’s over-the-top style or prefer subtler holiday comedies like The Santa Clause or Arthur Christmas.
Pros: holiday cheer; family-friendly fun; memorable comedy | Cons: over-the-top persona; sometimes cringey | sometimes lacks depth
Themes
- elves
- dwarf
- holiday
- adoption
- santa claus
- sarcasm
- looking for birth parents
- romance
- fish out of water
- orphan
- north pole
- christmas spirit
- +6 more
Awards & recognition
- Kids' Choice Award — Favorite Movie · 2004 · nominated
Cast & crew
Will Ferrell
as Buddy
James Caan
as Walter
Bob Newhart
as Papa Elf
Ed Asner
as Santa
Mary Steenburgen
as Emily
Zooey Deschanel
as Jovie
Daniel Tay
as Michael
Faizon Love
as Gimbels Manager
Peter Dinklage
as Miles Finch
Amy Sedaris
as Deb
Directed by Jon Favreau