Should I sit with them?

We would not put this on for a child under 5 and leave the room. Plan to sit with them at least until 7. After that, many families can watch with a grown-up nearby rather than on the couch. The notes above say what happens. You know your child. This is not medical advice.

Movie -- 2003 -- Netflix

Elf

Buddy is a human raised as an elf at the North Pole. He learns the truth and walks to New York to find his biological father, Walter Hobbs, who does not want him. Department-store chaos, city noise, and a sleigh that falls out of the sky. A Christmas comedy. The hard part is Dad saying no, not a monster.

Notes are based on public reviews and published descriptions.

Age

Not suitable
Parental guidance
Ok

GentleGuide scale for sensitive kids. Not an ACCM or Classification Board rating.

About this title

Classification: G
Length: 97 minutes
Consumer advice: Very mild crude humour

What to watch for

Separation: A baby at an orphanage crawls into Santa's sack and is taken to the North Pole by accident
Sadness: Grown Buddy learns he is human, not an elf
Separation: Buddy leaves the North Pole on foot for New York
Loud Noises: Buddy hits New York: horns, crowds, Times Square screens, a revolving door, a scary-looking Santa on the street
Sadness: Buddy finds Walter at the Empire State Building, sings that he loves him, and is treated as a Christmas-gram
Violence: Buddy overnight-decorates Gimbels, then realises store Santa is not Santa
Loud Noises: Buddy in the family and the city: maple-syrup spaghetti, a snowball fight with bullies, a mailroom that becomes a wild party after he drinks what he thinks is syrup (it is whisky)
Relational Conflict: Walter needs a book deal
Sadness: Buddy leaves a note: he ruined their lives, crammed cookies in the VCR, he does not belong here, he does not belong anywhere
Peril: Santa's sleigh loses power and crashes in Central Park

Timestamps

Timestamps are approximate. Cuts can differ. First one is free; the rest are in GentleGuide Pro.

00:04:10Separationmild

A baby at an orphanage crawls into Santa's sack and is taken to the North Pole by accident. Elves name him Buddy. Played as a legend, not a kidnapping -- he still leaves every caregiver he had in one night.

Theme. Even a 'magic mistake' is a baby moved without goodbye. Sensitive kids may ask where the orphanage people went.

What to say. You might say: 'He was a baby and he ended up with Santa's elves. They look after him. The film will come back to the dad he has not met.'

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Elf

Notes are based on public reviews and published descriptions.

What to watch for

Separation: A baby at an orphanage crawls into Santa's sack and is taken to the North Pole by accident

Sadness: Grown Buddy learns he is human, not an elf

Separation: Buddy leaves the North Pole on foot for New York

Loud Noises: Buddy hits New York: horns, crowds, Times Square screens, a revolving door, a scary-looking Santa on the street

Sadness: Buddy finds Walter at the Empire State Building, sings that he loves him, and is treated as a Christmas-gram

Violence: Buddy overnight-decorates Gimbels, then realises store Santa is not Santa

Loud Noises: Buddy in the family and the city: maple-syrup spaghetti, a snowball fight with bullies, a mailroom that becomes a wild party after he drinks what he thinks is syrup (it is whisky)

Relational Conflict: Walter needs a book deal

Sadness: Buddy leaves a note: he ruined their lives, crammed cookies in the VCR, he does not belong here, he does not belong anywhere

Peril: Santa's sleigh loses power and crashes in Central Park

Timestamps

Timestamps are approximate. Cuts can differ. First one is free; the rest are in GentleGuide Pro.

00:04:10Separationmild

Theme. Even a 'magic mistake' is a baby moved without goodbye. Sensitive kids may ask where the orphanage people went.

What to say. You might say: 'He was a baby and he ended up with Santa's elves. They look after him. The film will come back to the dad he has not met.'