Buddy (Will Ferrell) as a baby wound up in Santa’s sack and then ends up at the North Pole. He is raised as an elf but as the years pass it becomes obvious to all except himself that he is really a man. The day comes for Buddy to leave the North Pole and he travels to New York and finds his real father (James Caan). Buddy’s innocent ways gets on his father’s nerves but Buddy hits it off great with his step-mother (Mary Steenburgen) and his half-brother (Daniel Tay). He even finds a love interest with a girl named Jovie (Zooey Deschanel). As time passes, people learn that Buddy will reach out to anybody but the question becomes if his father will ever accept him or not. When an emergency happens in New York City, Buddy is reacquainted with Santa and attempts to rescue Santa’s faltering sleigh.
This movie does have some slapstick moments with Buddy surviving being struck by a cab, and also getting into a fight with a department store Santa when Buddy recognizes Santa is only a “fake.” However, Buddy’s loyalty to his family from the North Pole and his new family from New York is commendable and he sees the world as a child, with hope and warmth. We are delighted to award our Dove “Family-Approved” Seal to this movie for ages twelve plus. You’ll never think of an elf the same way again after seeing the movie “Elf”.