Jessie and the Elf Boy – A KIDS FIRST! Movie Review

Inspired by Scottish legend, this feel-good comedy follows the antics of the solitary forest elf Ghillie Dhu who becomes friends with a girl lost in the woods. When she is unexpectedly whisked away by her mother, a forlorn Ghillie sets out on a quest to find his lost companion. Years later, in the city, Ghillie meets Jessie Macrae, a plucky teenager determined to win favour with her high-flying mother by becoming a renowned hair stylist. When Jessie discovers that Ghillie has a gift for hair styling, they strike up a unique partnership which causes chaos for the manager of the chic hair salon and catapults Jessie to fame. Thanks to Ghillie, Jessie’s dreams are within reach, but will this meeting of two worlds be enough to overcome the deep hurts of broken relationships through the generations?

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Katie F. comments, “Jessie and the Elf Boy is a family-friendly film set in Edinburgh, Scotland. With a sweet storyline and its Scottish sense of humor, Jessie and the Elf Boy is one for the family to watch. My favorite part of the salon storyline is when Jessie discovers Ghillie, and he creates some amazing hairdos. I love the forest at the beginning of the movie where Ghillie’s home is set—it is beautiful, and highlights the amazing scenery that Scotland has to offer.” See her full review and interview with the director and star below. 

Jessie and the Elf Boy 

By Katie F., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

Jessie and the Elf Boy is a family-friendly film set in Edinburgh, Scotland. With a sweet storyline and its Scottish sense of humor, Jessie and the Elf Boy is one for the family to watch.

The story follows Ghillie Dhu (Huck Whittle), an elf that you can only see when wearing a special necklace. When a girl he meets in the forest moves away, he goes in search to find her, only to realize that that young girl has grown up. He then finds Jessie (Julia Brown), who he believes is that young girl from all those years ago. Jessie has just started a new job at her mother’s salon, and it turns out that this elf may just be the thing she needs to become the next big hair stylist.

Jessie deals with her mother freezing her out as well as trying to get her to notice the amazing things she can do—Julia portrays these characteristics really well. Huck Whittle is a newcomer making his debut in this film—his character, Ghillie, is very comedic about how he searches for his childhood friend. He discovers various things that he didn’t have in the woods—one of my favorites being fizzy juice. Jessie’s mother, Valerie, (Gail Watson), the owner of the hair salon, plays a very big part in the end, but I won’t say too much. My favorite part of the salon storyline is when Jessie discovers Ghillie, and he creates some amazing hairdos. I love the forest at the beginning of the movie where Ghillie’s home is set—it is beautiful, and highlights the amazing scenery that Scotland has to offer.

The message of the film is that the truth will always come out in the end, and it will have its perks—good and bad.

I give Jessie and the Elf Boy 3 out of 5 stars, and I recommend it for ages 8 to 11, plus adults. The film will be released April 1, 2022 to digital platforms.