The Elephant In the Living Room
Michael Webber
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Plot Summary
Praised by critics as one of the best films of the year, The Elephant in the Living Room takes viewers deep inside the controversial subculture of raising the most dangerous animals in the world, as common household pets. Set against the backdrop of a heated national debate, director Michael Webber chronicles the extraordinary journey of two men at the heart of the issue - Tim Harrison, a police officer whose friend was killed by an exotic pet; and Terry Brumfield, a big-hearted man who struggles to raise two African lions. In the first of many unexpected twists, the lives of these two men collide when Terry's male lion escapes its pen and is found attacking cars on a nearby highway. Winner of 5 Best Documentary Awards, the film exposes the shocking reality behind this multi-billion dollar industry with stunning photography, inspiring storytelling and unprecedented access to a world rarely seen, right in our backyard.
Movie Reviews from Rotten Tomatoes
TOMATOMETER
82%- Reviews Counted: 22
- Fresh: 18
- Rotten: 4
- Average Rating: 7.3/10
Top Critics' Reviews
Rotten: Spends rather too much time in the troubling company of Terry Brumfield, a barely mobile invalid who houses two full-grown African lions and their four cubs in a trailer in his backyard.
Fresh: Auds can't possibly predict the upsetting twist to Landry's story, nor the welcome surprise that precedes it, but these two scenes are documentary gold.
Fresh: This impeccably made film is chock-full of enlightening and sometimes bizarre moments...
Fresh: Love is messy, unfathomable, and occasionally lethal, as this low-budget, benignly prosaic expose of the trade in non-domesticated animals proves.
Customer Reviews
Oscar Worthy Documentary of the Year!
This impeccably made documentary explores the controversial issue of exotic animal ownership in America. Mike Webber examines the topic without bias and shows how people own and "love" exotic animals the same way most of us love our domestic pets while also exploring the dangerous underground world that exploits these animals. Unfortunately, it also reveals while following officer Tim Harrison, the tragic way in which most of these relationships end for the people and animals involved.
The compelling way in which the film unfolds will captivate you with its unexpected twists and turns leaving you on the edge of your seat. It will invoke thoughts and feelings that you will find yourself thinking about long after the film ends.
It is no wonder why The Elephant in the Living Room has received so many awards and accolades from the country's top critics. Never has a documentary been more worthy of an Oscar than this!
Film everyone should see...
This is a very shocking film that offers a peek into the world of the exotic animal trade via shadowing an officer, Tim Harrison, charged with capturing escaped/released large cats, venomous snakes, and any other dangerous species that are loose. We also follow the tragic lives of a pair of lions kept by a private owner and see first-hand the bonds that are formed and broken when he is no longer able to provide a safe, healthy environment for the full-grown animals. It is troubling to see the poisonous snakes people are able to acquire and the difficulty those involved have in coordinating placement for large cats and snakes with legitimate shelters. There are just too many people getting these types of animals for pets who later are unable to care for them. It makes you realize that many people are incapable of anticipating the responsibilities associated with owning a dangerous, exotic pet, making it imperative that we get laws on the books to control this industry.
A Wild Ride
Educational and entertaining, this well-constructed documentary explores both sides of the growing controversy surrounding exotic pet ownership. Mind-blowing, this film will hold you to the end!
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