Twenty years ago, who would have guessed thatElfwould become one of the all-time great Christmas movies? It was only the second feature film helmed by Jon Favreau, and it was one of Will Ferrell’s first leading roles following his long stint onSaturday Night Live. That combination proved to be too irresistible for audiences to pass up, which is whyElfis now celebrating two decades as a perennial holiday hit.
Ferrell stars as Buddy the elf, who just happens to be biologically human. Buddy grew up in the North Pole surrounded by elves who work for Santa Claus. He just doesn’t fit in very well among the elves. One holiday season, Santa gives Buddy the inspiration to travel from the North Pole to New York City so he can meet the father he never knew. That’s the basic setup forElf, and now we’re going to tell you where you’re able to stream it this holiday season.
Where is Elf streaming?
If you want to see Buddy venture from the North Pole to New York to find his long-lost father, head toMaxto begin streaming. Launched as HBO Max in 2020, the recently renamed Max offers programs from its signature brands, such as HBO, Cartoon Network, and Warner Bros. Legacy shows likeThe Sopranos,The Wire,Succession, andGame of Thronescan all be watched on the service, as well ascurrent movies likeThe Batman. And original programming, likeHacksandThe Flight Attendant, exists under “Max Originals.”
Because itstreams under WarnerMedia,Elfis also available to watch on TNT and TBS this holiday season. If you do not have cable TV, the Will Ferrell comedycan be accessed through live TV streaming services likeHulu + Live TVand Sling TV. Hulu + Live TV features a fixed lineup of cable channels, while Sling TV is an à la carte model that lets users pick and choose the channel lineup.
Check outother holiday movies on Max.
When does it stream for subscribers?
Elfis currently streaming on Max.
Elfis also streaming on Hulu this year, but only through the end of December.
How much does it cost?
Is it worth watching Elf?
Certainly! Even though it’s 20 years old,Elfhas a modern yet timeless quality to it that makes it hold up to this day. Ferrell is at his peak comic form here, imbuing Buddy with a child-like wonder that clashes hilariously with his rough NYC surroundings.
In addition to Ferrell,Elfstars James Caan as Buddy’s biological father, Zooey Deschanel as Jovie, Mary Steenburgen, Bob Newhart, Ed Asner, Peter Dinklage, Amy Sedaris, and Andy Richter. The movie was directed by Jon Favreau and is 97 minutes long.
OnRotten Tomatoes,Elfregisters 85% on the Tomatometer and a 79% audience score. On Metacritic, the film holds aMetascoreof 64 and a user score of 8.5.
