ELF is a 2003 American Christmas comedy film starring Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, and Bob Newhart. The movie follows Buddy, a human raised as an ELF at the North Pole, who travels to New York City to find his real father. The film was written by David Berenbaum and directed by Jon Favreau. It was a commercial success, grossing over $220 million worldwide and receiving generally positive reviews from critics.