Question: I am confused. Buddy has blood drawn in order to do a DNA sample and they get the results almost right away. Doesn't it take weeks for DNA samples to come back? If so, how can they get the results so quickly in the movie?
Cubs Fan
12th Jul 2008
Elf (2003)
Answer: It was most likely a blood typing test (it can take minutes and its done through a finger-stick test). If the doctor's office had the test cards. If both parents have type A blood, their child can't have type B and vice versa with type B and A. Type O is rare enough that its more likely that Walter and Buddy's mother were either type A, B, or AB. -college student who has rewatched the movie and had to go through several allele genotype/phenotype lectures.
Actually, type O is the most common type. O - is more rare than O+, which is true for every blood type, but O is still the most common for most ethnic groups.
Answer: Most private labs can return DNA testing results in 1-2 days because the test isn't that complicated, even in the early 2000's. It's usually court ordered testing that take weeks to process because of all the bureaucratic red tape, paper work, and signatures required. Some labs do get extremely busy and therefore it might take up to 2-4 weeks to get results back, but that also usually includes more extensive DNA testing.
Answer: Even so the test came back almost immediatly.
10th Jul 2008
Elf (2003)
Question: Is Buddy left handed or right handed? I'm just asking this because during the movie he acts left handed and then he acts right handed.
Answer: I can think of two possibilities: (1) he suffers from cross-dominance, where he uses one hand for certain tasks and the oppostie hand for others, or (2) he's ambidextrous (which is a rare variant of cross-dominance), which means he can perform tasks using either hand with equal adeptness.
I have cross-dominance. Never knew what it was called, thanks.
Answer: Maybe they reverse the image occasionally to make the scene 'work' better. Or to make Buddy appear ambidextrous?
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Chosen answer: More than likely, it was done for storyline reasons. Since the results of DNA tests *do* take a while to come back, it slows the plot down to show them waiting. I guess, in a way, this situation calls for a suspension of disbelief; it may seem like it took no time at all, but in order to enjoy the film, you have to just accept that the necessary waiting period has passed.
Cubs Fan ★
There's an old story where someone asked a major sci-fi producer how fast one of his space vehicles could go. He answered, "At the speed of the plot."