Common Sense Media Review
Peppy holiday favorite for both kids and parents.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Elf
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 80 parent reviews
Parents say the film has sparked a mix of responses, ranging from love for its humor and charm to strong criticism regarding its suitability for children due to themes of adoption and language. While some families enjoy it as a holiday classic, others find its content confusing or inappropriate for younger audiences, highlighting underlying concerns about messages around Santa Claus and parental roles.
- mixed responses
- suitability concerns
- themes of adoption
- humor for adults
- family favorite
- holiday classic
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 206 kid reviews
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.
Is It Any Good?
This movie is sweet and funny, though it can't quite seem to make up its mind whether people should need proof of Santa's existence or not. Some of the jokes in Elf 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 shows some verve and keeps the story moving quickly enough to keep it from feeling like a series of skits.
Deschanel nicely shows us the way that Buddy appeals to Jovie's longing for a place where singing and sweetness are encouraged. Peter Dinklage has a marvelous cameo as a haughty author of children's books, making his appearance much more than a sight gag. And Ferrell? His lanky cluelessness has a slightly muddled but imperishable sweetness that gives an endearing quality to all the characters he plays, including Buddy, who's a sort of human Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Buddy's naive pleasure in the world around him is ultimately almost as endearing to us as it is to (almost) everyone he meets.
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 Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : New Line
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Holidays
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Curiosity , Gratitude , Integrity
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some mild rude humor and language
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate