Rotten Tomatoes
Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

The Elephant in the Living Room

Play trailer Poster for The Elephant in the Living Room PG 2010 1h 36m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
82% Tomatometer 22 Reviews 84% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
While wild animals are mere subjects of fascination for many, some in the United States take the step of bringing them into their homes. This documentary explores the trend of individuals keeping exotic animals as pets and the problems that surround the issue. Among those interviewed are Tim Harrison, an expert on dealing with dangerous pets that have escaped or can't be controlled by their owners, and Terry Brumfield, a troubled man who finds solace in his relationship with his two pet lions.
Watch on Prime Video Stream Now

Where to Watch

The Elephant in the Living Room

Critics Reviews

View More
Jeff Shannon Seattle Times 04/28/2011
3.5/4
An exceptionally compassionate, fair-minded film that clearly states, beyond any rational benefit of the doubt, that raising potentially dangerous animals as pets is destructive to animals and humans alike. Go to Full Review Tasha Robinson AV Club 04/14/2011
B+
The documentary shoots fish in a barrel -- or maybe snakes in Tupperware -- but it does so with gripping, maddening, well-told stories. Go to Full Review Brian Tallerico HollywoodChicago.com 04/13/2011
4/5
This fascinating documentary shines a light into an underreported corner of America, the backyards and living rooms that currently house deadly exotic animals that should never have found themselves in captivity at all, much less as pets. Go to Full Review Lindy West The Stranger (Seattle, WA) 08/25/2017
A documentary about America's thriving exotic-pet subculture, The Elephant in the Living Room keeps its feet firmly and patiently planted in the OH-MY-GOD-PEOPLE-GET-A-GRIP camp, without losing sight of its subjects' humanity. Go to Full Review Danny Minton Fort Bend Sun 09/19/2011
A-
Incredibly informational, interesting and profoundly moving. Go to Full Review Philip Martin Arkansas Democrat-Gazette 05/15/2011
87/100
alarming and heartbreaking documentary ... examines the small but apparently rapidly growing subculture of people who keep exotic animals as pets. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
04/23/2018 Oh my gosh this was so sad!!!! See more 06/06/2015 Very well put together and gripping story about a serious issue involving exotic pets....I didn't expect much going into the documentary and was pleasantly surprised. 3.5 stars See more 05/07/2015 Holy crap, there's some harrowing shit, in here... See more 12/31/2014 I completely understand the argument of this film and i am whole heartedly compassionated towards Tim Harrison--an Ohio Police officer whose friend was killed by an exotic animal and now fights every day to re-home these types of exotic 'pets'--and Terry Brumfield--a disturbed but heartbreaking elderly man who is raising FIVE lions in trailers and made shift cages--but the story and/or message is somewhat lost or weakened by a misunderstanding of storytelling and documentary filmmaking on the directors part. The score--borderline Sarah McLachlan SPCA commercial bad--is so in your face and unrelenting that is numbing. Though a great subject to do a documentary on, i cant help but wonder what the outcome would be in a more subtle filmmakers hands. See more 06/16/2014 Both touching and terrifying. See more 03/07/2014 Pretty cool. Just feel like I could've seen photos with captions and gotten the idea and education from it. Lots of interviews but the title is more entertaining than the actual documentary. See more Read all reviews
The Elephant in the Living Room

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Cast & Crew

View All

Michael Webber

Director

Michael Webber

Writer

Michael Webber

Producer

Ross Hammer

Executive Producer

Russ Muntz

Executive Producer

Michael Webber

Cinematographer

More Like This

View All
Buck 90% 89% Buck Watchlist Sharkwater 81% 88% Sharkwater Watchlist Cool It 55% 74% Cool It Watchlist Waiting for Superman 89% 84% Waiting for Superman Watchlist Food, Inc. 95% 86% Food, Inc. Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More
View All

The Elephant in the Living Room

View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis While wild animals are mere subjects of fascination for many, some in the United States take the step of bringing them into their homes. This documentary explores the trend of individuals keeping exotic animals as pets and the problems that surround the issue. Among those interviewed are Tim Harrison, an expert on dealing with dangerous pets that have escaped or can't be controlled by their owners, and Terry Brumfield, a troubled man who finds solace in his relationship with his two pet lions.
Director
Michael Webber
Producer
Michael Webber
Screenwriter
Michael Webber
Production Co
NightFly Entertainment
Rating
PG (Thematic Material|Mild Language|Some Disturbing Situations|Smoking)
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 17, 2017
Runtime
1h 36m