You can argue over which Christmas movie is the best. As far as which movie is the funniest, there’s little debate—it’s Elf.
After accidentally slipping into Santa’s toy sack some thirty years ago, human baby Buddy is taken in by Santa’s workforce and raised as an elf. Of course, considering he towers over his fellow toy-building-brethren, Buddy eventually finds out the truth of his parentage and decides to schlep to New York to meet his real dad. But surviving the Big Apple, not to mention, reconnecting with his father (who’s on the naughty list, by the way) is easier said than done for a guy whose both totally guileless, incredibly sweet, and just a touch goofy. Buddy may make a terrible human, but he may be the best elf the North Pole ever had. Elf, starring comedy legend Will Ferrell rides the insanely hard tightrope of being both raucously funny while still retaining its family friendliness. Catching Ed Asner’s portrayal of the most curmudgeonly Santa Claus ever committed to film.
Here’s everything you need to know to stream Elf online.
How to stream Elf
- Released: November 2003
- Genre: Christmas comedy/drama
- Starring: Will Ferrell as Buddy, James Caan as Walter Hobbs, Zooey Deschanel as Jovie, Mary Steenburgen as Emily Hobbs, Daniel Tay as Michael Hobbs, Ed Asner as Santa Claus, Bob Newhart as Papa Elf, Faizon Love as Wanda, Peter Dinklage as Miles Finch, Amy Sedaris as Deb, Michael Lerner as Mr. Greenway, Andy Richter as Morris, Kyle Gass as Eugene Dupree, Artie Lange as the Gimbels Santa., Jon Favreau as Dr. Ben Leonardo, Matt Walsh as Eye Witness., Peter Billingsley as Ming Ming
Elf Reviews
What the critics are saying:
- ”A charming, silly family Christmas movie more likely to spread real joy than migraine, indigestion and sugar shock. The movie succeeds because it at once restrains its sticky, gooey good cheer and wildly overdoes it.” -Dana Stevens, The New York Times
How to stream Elf
Here are a few options for you to rent or buy Elf.
Elf on Amazon Prime Video
The online retail giant is also one of the premier destinations for online streaming. It’s also one of the easiest ways stream Elf no question. If you already have an Amazon account, buying in HD will take seconds, and you can watch it anywhere you stream Amazon Video, from Amazon Fire Stick to Roku.
| Rent/Buy | VARIES |
Elf on Fandango Now
Fandango and movies go hand in hand, and not just when it comes to buying tickets online. Plenty of hits and classics are available in the Fandango Now library, along with full seasons of your favorite shows. Elf is available on Fandango Now in multiple formats. If you join Fandango VIP, you can rack up points to spend across Fandango and Fandango Now.
Elf on Vudu
Vudu is a no-fuss way to rent movies online if you don’t want to bother signing up for anything. There’s a massive library of high-quality video content, including 4K movies. There are even piles of movies you can watch free as long as you sit through a few ads. Elf is available to buy right now–and would you believe it, it’s on sale.
| Rent | VARIES |
| Buy | VARIES |
Elf on Google Play
| VOD | VARIOUS |
Google Play is the internet search giant’s massive online store which is host to a myriad of applications, software, music, and streaming media. For those on netbooks and Android-powered phones, tablets and streaming devices, it’s a universal hub to download streaming channels including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, and many other popular streaming destinations. Many popular TV shows and films can also be purchased on-demand and streaming across any Google-enabled device.