The Elephant King (2006)

18% of critics liked it
(11 reviews)
63% of users liked it
(474 ratings)

Seth Grossman's psychological drama The Elephant King concerns two brothers who have very different outlooks on life. Jake Hunt is a scientist working in Thailand who, dissatisfied with much of his life, does little work and lives his life in a state of great excess. He invites his younger brother,… More Seth Grossman's psychological drama The Elephant King concerns two brothers who have very different outlooks on life. Jake Hunt is a scientist working in Thailand who, dissatisfied with much of his life, does little work and lives his life in a state of great excess. He invites his younger brother, Oliver, to visit. Even though the two have a strained relationship, Oliver accepts as he has been suffering from a severe depression. Oliver joins Jake in nights of excess, and falls in love with a girl whom Jake is paying to be nice to Oliver. As the threesome heads toward a tragic conclusion, each brother questions his own motivations for his actions. The Elephant King had its world premiere at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 32 min.
Directed By: Seth Grossman
Written By: Seth Grossman
Genres: Drama, Romance

In Theaters: Apr 1, 2006 Wide
On DVD: Oct 20, 2009
Studio: Unison Releasing

Critic Reviews

Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times
erhaps a bit of star power, or at least less generic actors in the leads, might have given these underdeveloped siblings more credence or appeal.
V.A. Musetto, New York Post
Director-writer Seth Grossman provides a lazy narrative, with stereotypical characters and plot. You just know what's going to happen, although the statuesque Faivre might take your mind off the shortcomings.
Nathan Lee, New York Times
There is in fact an elephant in The Elephant King, but his keepers are far from royal.
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice
Equivalent to a crummy band with a monster of a drummer who convinces you to stay for the whole show anyways.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...ultimately unable to live up to the relatively promising nature of its setup.
Luke Y. Thompson, OC Weekly
Seth Grossman's second feature as a director is beautiful to look at, solidly acted, unpredictable and sexy as hell.
Mark Keizer, Boxoffice Magazine
Had writer/director Seth Grossman's The Elephant King not been shot on location in the seedy bars and brothels of Thailand, it would be stripped of its most intriguing component.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
A depressing and bleak drama about two brothers in Thailand.
Geoff Berkshire, Metromix.com
An indie dud that mistakes lurid sensationalism for cultural exploration.
Mark Peikert, New York Press
If Grossman had found something more to say about life in Thailand other than that almost any attractive woman there can be had for money, The Elephant King might have more potency.
Stephen Garrett, Time Out New York
Naïveté drives the characters and the filmmaking -- a lethal combination for a movie that's desperate to come across as world-weary and wise.