69
Metascore
11 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80Los Angeles TimesKevin ThomasLos Angeles TimesKevin ThomasThis impeccably made film is chock-full of enlightening and sometimes bizarre moments.
- 75New Orleans Times-PicayuneMike ScottNew Orleans Times-PicayuneMike ScottThere are moments when the freak-show elements of the film threaten to overpower its message, but that message is such a fascinating one -- and the debate an important one as well -- that The Elephant in the Living Room manages to overcome them.
- 75Orlando SentinelRoger MooreOrlando SentinelRoger MooreThe Elephant in the Living Room is damning, but also very sad. These stories, as Harrison points out, never have a happy ending.
- 70Village VoiceVillage VoiceThe film ultimately serves as an edifying (who knew Ohio's Amish were big into exotic-animal auctions?) and unsensational (excepting one horrifying scene involving Brumfield's beloved male lion) look into a peculiar corner of American acquisitiveness.
- 70The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThe New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisFair to a fault, "Elephant" omits what could be considered crucial voices - like lawmakers, the Humane Society (which helped finance the film) and mental-health professionals - in its attempt to understand those who believe their particular beast is as harmless as a kitten. At least until it rips someone's face off.
- 70Chicago ReaderJ.R. JonesChicago ReaderJ.R. JonesPartly funded by the Humane Society, this gripping documentary by Michael Webber rips the lid off a scandal that periodically turns up on local newscasts but then disappears from public consciousness.
- 63Boston GlobeWesley MorrisBoston GlobeWesley MorrisThe movie effectively rids you of any notion that owning a cougar or a python is a good idea.
- 60Boxoffice MagazineBarbara GoslawskiBoxoffice MagazineBarbara GoslawskiThe result is a lively mix of informative and enlightening storytelling, with a healthy dash of poignancy.
- 50New York PostV.A. MusettoNew York PostV.A. MusettoAs my cat, Audrey, will confirm, I love animals. But I draw the line at having lions, tigers, gigantic snakes, bears and other predators as pets. Other people have different opinions.