I love this movie! Elf is a great kids movie!
Elf
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Peppy holiday favorite for both kids and parents.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 7 and Up
The good stuff
What to watch out for
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Violence & scariness:
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Sexy stuff:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Elf was written by Nell Minow
Parents need to know that this movie has some mild potty humor and a couple of gross-out gags involving burping, barfing, and eating some pretty disgusting things. The plot touches on an out-of-wedlock child and DNA testing as proof of paternity. Some younger children might be upset that Buddy's mother died and that his father never knew about him. There is mild comic peril. A character gets drunk.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about how the other characters felt about Buddy's cheer and enthusiasm. If you arrived in your town after 30 years at the North Pole, what would surprise and delight you the way that the escalator and revolving door surprised and delighted Buddy?
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More on Elf
What’s the Story?
Will Ferrell is a very funny guy. His lanky cluelessness has a slightly muddled but imperishable sweetness that gives an endearing quality to all the characters he plays. Ferrell's first lead role is made to order, a sort of human Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, a North Pole misfit who shows his value and saves the day. Ferrell plays 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 and is on Santa's "naughty" list. Buddy leaves the North Pole to find Walter, knowing only what he has learned from the elves. Thus, he is a whiz at making snowflake decorations and spreading good cheer, and he always assumes the best about everyone--not especially useful skills in New York City. Walter, who's in publishing, is in trouble because he has to find a successful new childrens' story by Christmas Eve. At first, he does not believe that Buddy is his son, but after he passes a DNA test, Walter reluctantly brings him home to meet his wife (Mary Steenburgen) and son. When Buddy stops by the Santa display at Gimbel's, he meets pretty Jovie (Zooey Deschanel), who is too shy to sing in front of other people. On his way to saving the day and a happy ending for everyone from the North Pole to Manhattan island, Buddy gets many chances to do silly things as he experiences New York city and gets to know Jovie and his family.
Is It Any Good?
While the movie can't seem to make up its mind whether people should need proof of Santa's existence or not, some jokes work better than others, and the talents of Caan, Steenburgen, Bob Newhart (as Buddy's adoptive father) and Ed Asner (as Santa) are neglected. But director Jon Favreau (who appears briefly as a doctor) shows some verve and keeps the story moving quickly enough to keep it from feeling like a series of skits.
Deschanel (Big Trouble and Almost Famous) nicely shows us the way Buddy appeals to Jovie's longing for a place where singing and sweetness are encouraged. Peter Dinklage (The Station Agent) has a marvelous cameo as a haughty French-cuffed author of children's books, making his appearance much more than a sight gag. And Ferrell is just plain fun to watch. His naive pleasure in the world around him is ultimately almost as endearing to us as it is to (almost) everyone he meets.
Movie Details
Studio: New Line Cinema, Director: Jon Favreau
Run time: 90 minutes
Theatrical release: 11/07/2003, DVD release: 11/16/2004
MPAA Rating: PG for some mild rude humor and language
Run time: 90 minutes
Theatrical release: 11/07/2003, DVD release: 11/16/2004
MPAA Rating: PG for some mild rude humor and language
Our Members Say
See all 58 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- My highlights are:
Super Funny
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I rate this title iffy for age 10 and give it
- My highlights are:
One positive message
This movie has its' iffy parts, but it does teach children about the spirit of Christmas and being kind.
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I rate this title iffy for age 5 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
great movie
Love this movie! Aws!! TOTALLY got me in the christmas spirit. i think its fine for all ages. it uses "d*mn" and "h*ll" but whatever. one scene where a buddy listens to jodie singing in the shower, and there are references to being naked and sexy but o well. so funny!!
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I rate this title on for age 7 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Hillarious Christmas movie!
When I saw Elf the first time I laughed so hard I almost cried! It's so funny to watch every year at Christmastime. If you haven't seen it, you are misssing out on so much! It has very positive messages in it like how to spread the true meaning of Christmas. Great for kids!
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I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
Really cute movie!
So funny, you have to get your kids to watch it. Some bad words are in there but overall its so funny.
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
funny
love it.
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I rate this title iffy for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Negative role models
Awesome Christmas Comedy
Love it! This is by far my favorite Christmas movie! The only reason I said the role models weren't good was because Will Ferrel is in this; and if kids watch they may want to see other movies with Will Ferrel; and he is not always in the best movies if you know what I mean.
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I rate this title iffy for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
a great way to get a good laugh around the holiday season.
This movie is the perfect way to get a good laugh during the holiday season. But some ways they get laughs is with vilonce and that brief vilonce may seem funny to older kids, tweens, teens, and adults but to younger kids (6 and under) it might seem scary.
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I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Terrific! Best Christmas movie EVER!
Overall a good movie, but in one scene a character gets drunk, the language is pretty tame, In one scene, a Coca Cola is shown but other than that no consumerism. Like I said, Overall, A GREAT family film for ALL ages
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I rate this title on for age 7 and give it
Good for kid
Good Movie
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I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Great Christmas Movie! One of my faves!
I went and saw this in the theater when it just came out, then we were one of the first to get the DVD! It's really really good. I loved it! No concerns other than a few bad words (but nothing to worry about) and a character getting drunk, but good message about Christmas and Buddy was a good role model. Don't skip it this holiday season!
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I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
Hilarious, just some naughty stuff.
*Sigh* such a good movie. There is one naughty part. Buddy decorates the store until after dark, working hard into the night, when he hears someone singing a christmas carol. He ends up in the womens locker room, sitting between the sinks. The girl co-worker he likes is naked in the shower, singing to herself ( nothing is shown, just shoulders), until buddy starts singing along. She peeks her head out of the shower and sees him sitting there, innocently. She yells at him to get out of the locker room and not to look at her. He claps his hands over his eyes and hightails it for the door, smashing into everything in his way.
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I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
BEST MOVIE EVER
Elf is my favorite movie ever! You'll LOVE it!!!
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I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
Best movie ever. You'kll crack up
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
a good movie
a good movie with some vilonce but lots of scenes that will make you lol.
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I rate this title on for age 5 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
best christmas movie ever made!!!!!!
this is my family's favorite christmas movie. we bought it and watch it at least twice each christmas. it never gets old and its such an enjoyable movie!
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I rate this title on for age 7 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
some ify content parents coutioned
includes drinking, peril And one very vilont seen were a man attacks the elf and a lot of harsh words and yelling acure. Not appropreat for younger children. And brief sexual content. And the only bad word they use is the h word.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 40% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
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