GUILTY PLEASURE

Starring: Will Ferrell. James Caan, Zooey Deschanel. Mary Stcenburgen. Directed by: Jon Favreau for New Line Cinema. Find your seat and grab your Milk Duds: November 7. Fade in: A naive human being raised by elves at the North Pole (Ferrell) leaves the comforts of Santa's workshop to find his Scrooge-like father (James Caan) in harsh New York. Think:Big, Crocodile Dundee, The Jerk.Striking a chord: Ferrell, in pointy green hat, gets hit by taxicab, then apologizes. Trend watch: As fellow indie director Richard Linklater did with School of Rock. Favreau (Swingers, Made) switches gears to make a big-time family comedy. Industry question: Can the extremely odd but very funny Ferrell carry a mainstream movie? Bit part: Hot little person Peter Dinklage (The Station Agent) is in the elf house not as one of Santa's helpers but as an angry corporate executive. Nice touch: Actually shot in New York, not Toronto. (Rating: ★★★½)

JIM WINDOLF