The Elephant in the Room - Review

You know what they say, “never judge a film by the incredibly Hallmark looking poster”. That was me, I said that, but only after I finished watching The Elephant in the Room. I have a treasured tradition with my sister of scrolling through a streaming service around the holidays and picking the most dismal looking Christmas film and laughing the whole way through with a hot chocolate and some popcorn. I thought this one could be added to that list, I was wrong. This film has its flaws, but even with some ridiculous elements, it taps into the way in which we consume news, and base our views off of that. I found myself interested in their conversations, charmed by their chemistry and impressed by the levity.

I saw the locator starting the film, “December 2020” and had immediate panic. What a time it has been since then. Covid was pretending to slow down, we’d rid ourselves of Trump in the oval office, and a new Matrix sequel was on the way to save the box office. Boy am I glad none of those backfired in any way.

Leah (Alyssa Limperis) is living out her post breakup lockdown in her aunt’s house with her new, quiet housemate, Martin (Dominic Burgess). They have a very casual Christmas interaction that I think says a lot more about both people in retrospect than I gave it credit for. Leah and Martin are both lacking excitement for life when we meet them. Leah’s prospects of working in social care have led her to social media, where she sees the political divide up close and personal. Martin has fleeting hopes of teaching film, while overcoming his own disappointment in a failed long distance relationship. When Leah orders some Christmas dinner from a local diner, Vincent (Sean Kleier) shows up to drop it off. They chat briefly before saying their polite goodbyes and moving on with their days. That evening, Leah and Martin are eating together before Leah decides she is going to text Vincent about the meal, to thank him. He responds, they chat and arrange a coffee date. It’s on this fateful coffee date that they learn of each other’s opposing political beliefs. Leah is a liberal, and Vincent voted for Trump twice. Leah and Martin’s relationship begins to blossom as they work out together and chat through Leah’s feelings on Vincent. Martin offers some out of breath advice which Leah takes, and continues to explore her feelings for Vincent. Learning more about each other both draws the other in and then pushes them apart. How much of a divide is there between them, and can they overcome it to find the love lying underneath? I know, now maybe you go find out.

A politically driven rom-com isn’t something I thought I would be invested in, especially as much as I found myself in this one. I was surprised by the levels of depth they explored in their discussions, and the stance that writer and director Erik Bork took with it. I am not really a fan of fence sitting filmmaking, where you can see the filmmakers desperately trying not to upset anybody with their dialogue. People aren’t like that, so it was nice to see these characters have actual discussions here. It does shy away from some of the darker oppression going on, making light of the divide, but I don’t think this film has to put its characters into intense political debates that just completely drag the tone down. Having some hope that opposing beliefs or miseducation can be overcome is welcome for me. There is no place in my heart for bigotry and no reasoning with people who are not open to a conversation, but I don’t believe this film has characters like that. They listen and discuss without real judgement, it's refreshing.

The film also relies heavily on its actors being able to deliver these more political conversations in a way that doesn’t alienate the audience. They speak like normal people and have a really great chemistry. Having your entire cast be less than five people is a risk, but one that I feel pays off. Leah has the potential to be the “quirky indie girl protagonist” at times, but Limperis plays her well enough not to have that be her whole personality. I especially liked Martin’s character, and Burgess’ portrayal of him. It is not often we get awkward and insecure gay in media, and I felt very represented by him. He also demands everyone leave the room when Katy Perry comes on stage at one point, and I did feel that deep in my core.

Some of the more silly elements of the political opinions creep in to advance the story, giving it a more dramatic and impactful end. Thinking about the plot point after the fact, I actually appreciated its inclusion. With early January 2021 vision that I have now, obviously it seems insane. But, at the time, these folks were watching news stations that were (and still are) designed to spark rage in their viewers, urging them to act, and act they did. It is a pretty accurate representation of how we can become so sure of how we feel based on a well lit and heavily makeup-ed news anchor’s passion for misinformation.

Beyond the story and behind the cameras, we have some nice craft going on. The colour grade is excellent, it understands that this film is a comedy and needs lightness, but doesn’t slip into the bland evenness that a lot of comedies fall into. The light is nice, even but not boring, and the music is pleasant. Y’all did a stand-up job.

While I don’t feel inspired to jump on Truth Social and find myself an eligible MAGA bachelor, I am glad to have watched The Elephant in the Room, seeing the divide in America be put aside when two people begin to listen to each other, with openness instead of immediate judgement. People’s political passions may make this a film that is less favourable, but if you go into it without all the baggage of the real world, there is a genuine attempt at conversation here that we could do with more of.

The Elephant in the Room is available to stream on Tubi and Amazon Prime in the US.