The Worldview of an ELF (via Will Ferrell)

A special son raised in a Christmas paradise is sent south to a much harsher world where he sees the darkness in the world and overcomes it with a light in his eyes that refuses to be extinguished… the story of Buddy the Elf is an atypical type of Christmas cheer that feels like modern-day pabulum while actually hiding some sugar-coated truths.

Directed by the man who would later give us Iron Man, Elf is a candy-cane holiday movie I’d avoided for years, assuming it was just a Ferrell string of comedic skits strung together over a thin premise. But one particularly odd Christmas, all that changed…

Once upon a time, a friend dared me to use the movie for a December film and theology event, figuring there was NO way I could look at such an inane narrative and see a glimpse of God in that story. With a focus on Santa and Will Ferrell histrionics, surely this film is nothing more than a random collection of meaningless banter… right?

Wrong. I took the bet, examined the film, and reviewed it at a Mars Hill Church event; I think I was even able to make previous fans enjoy it on a whole new level. Watch the film and add 20 minutes of narrative exploration as a Christmas treat this year.

NOTE: This audio exploration assumes you’ve watched the film and contains spoilers.

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