MANIC PIXIE DREAM GIRL - Elf (2003)

Looking at the Rules that film genres follow or don't... like films a Manic Pixie Dream Girl.

"It's just nice to meet another human that shares my affinity for elf culture." ~ Buddy.

Elf is a film about a foundling, raised by one of Santa's elves who returns to the modern world in a fish-out-of-water Christmas comedy.

The following may contain spoilers for

Elf (2003)

RULE #1 - THE MAN

OK, the point of this one is that the Buddy, the "deranged Elf-man," is the Manic Pixie Dream Girl.  That's easy enough.  So someone else is the person whose life is changed: "The Man."  However, it gets harder at this because who is the "man" the cynical, job-hating love interest, Jovie or the workaholic father, Walter?

1a.  POV Character - Here's the easy part, Buddy is the point of view character, although others get some extra screen time, mainly Walter.

The Bechdel Test:  No conversations.  Fail.

The Mako Mori Test:  Jovie only has a minor plot - to fall in love with the hero.  Fail.

1b.  Unhappy – Jovie, unhappy and cynical.  Walter, unhappy but doesn't know it.
i.  Job - Jovie hates her job, Walter is a workaholic.  Walter eventually walks out on his job.
ii.  Relationship - Jovie seems to be single, Walter is married.  Although his wife doesn't leave him she's not happy that he is so work focused.

RULE #2 - T &A

Jovie has a shower scene (all naked shoulders and shower curtains) and Buddy drops his pants.  .  More than you'd expect from a Christmas film, about on par with a rom com.

RULE #3 - GENRE

Mostly a fish-out-of-water Christmas film, the romance is a secondary or tertiary plot.

RULE #4 - MANIC

4a.  Full of energy - Certainly.

4b.  Full of contradictions

i.  Fun, but serious - Not really serious.

ii.  Sexual/asexual - Not really sexual.

iii.  Romantic/shunning romance - difficult to say.
iv.  Honest & open/hiding a secret - Open, no one believes his "secret."

v.  Smart/ditsy – Dumb.

4c.  Carefree - Seemingly.

4d.  Quirky -  Certainly.

4e.  Unusual Things.

i.  Clothing – Mostly Elf costume..
ii.  Transport - Ice flow.  Sleigh.

iii.  House – Slept in a store window before living at his father's house.

iv.  Job – An Elf.  Becomes Children's writer.

RULE #5 - PIXIE

He's an Elf.  Well, not really, but you know. 5a.  Tiny - No. 5b.  Cute features - No. 5c.  Girlish - No. 5d.  Clothing - Much of the time in Elf costume.

RULE #6 - DREAM

6a.  Dream Girl - Seems to be the perfect person to bring out the real Jovie. 6b.  Dream-like - Raised at Santa's at the North Pole.

RULE #7 - GIRL

7a.  Female - No.
7b.  Girlish - Not really.

RULE #8 - HIS LIFE

It's really about Buddy, but Walter's life is significantly changed like the "he" should.  Jovie's life is also changed.

RULE #9 - SECRET

His secret is he really is an Elf (well, he isn't - but Santa is real.)  He doesn't keep it a secret but no one believes.

RULE #10 - BITTERSWEET ENDING/NO SEQUEL

Happy ending.  No sequel and not a sequel.

RESULTS

Rules followed by this film: 2, 4, 6, 9, 10.
Rules partially followed by this film: 1, 3, 5, 8.
Rules not followed by this film: 7.

Has some minor issues, but still a MPDG film if you call the guy a girl.

~ DUG.

Remember to vote here to help choose the fifth set of rules to be tested.