Writer-director Erik Bork’s feature film, The Elephant in the Room, is a romantic comedy set during the politically charged aftermath of the 2020 presidential election. At its heart is a budding romance that appears to have no chance when our lovers find themselves on opposite ends of politics.
Set in December 2020, in the weeks following the presidential election, Leah (Alyssa Limperis) is a progressive woman and personal trainer living alone during pandemic isolation. She grows increasingly anxious about the current political climate, as she fears Donald Trump may not leave office. Leah also feels cut off from any meaningful relationship. So much so that she reaches out to her ex-boyfriend Ansel (Jack De Sena), hoping to be at least “friends.” So far, her only friend is Martin (Dominic Burgess), an awkward, gay client who hired Leah to help him get in shape and find love on dating apps. He likes Leah, but really wants to stay out of politics and remains silent whenever the subject comes up.
Soon, fate walks right up to her door in Vincent (Sean Kleier), a soft-spoken chef and food delivery driver who brings Leah the pizza she ordered. The order was wrong, but each take the blame for the mistake. Sparks fly. The two engage in a long, loving conversation, but when the topic of Trump comes up, Leah goes cold and backs off. Vincent wonders why this is the one topic that divides them, but Leah won’t have any of it, and the two walk away like ships passing in the night.
Despite the divide, Vincent shows an openness to listening, even watching Rachel Maddow and sharing his thoughts with Leah as they continue seeing each other. Vincent and Leah realize that they agree on more things than they disagree, and the new lovers try to make it work. But as their relationship deepens, Vincent’s mother, Nancy (Sandra Ellis Lafferty), an outspoken Trump supporter, asks Vincent to take her to the January 6 rally in Washington, D.C. This is the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back, and Leah is done with Vincent.
“Vincent and Leah realize that they agree on more things than they disagree…”
Bork’s inspiration for The Elephant in the Room came from his belief that political polarization in America is one of the most pressing and unresolved issues today, as each news cycle seems to deepen the cultural divides. Bork then saw the political differences during the Trump era as a natural complication for a romantic comedy. He then consulted with organizations focused on bridging divides and evolved into a character-driven piece about how people with opposing views talk, listen, and misunderstand one another. He approached these themes with both humor and emotion, hoping to portray characters on opposite ends of the political spectrum as normal and therefore sympathetic, so that audiences across that divide can recognize themselves in the story and reconsider their assumptions about one another.
The attempt to “bridge the divide” certainly comes through. Bork takes the relationship between our two lovers and walks us through the moment when people from opposite ends of the political spectrum meet; we see them only through the labels and stereotypes we’ve built in our minds. Then he forces Leah and Vincent to slow down, step back, and see that we have more in common than we don’t.
Good intentions aside, The Elephant in the Room is a solid rom-com…leaning more toward the rom. I could definitely see it playing on the Hallmark channel, if they ever got into political stories. It flies at a safe distance, not wanting to take sides or label one side as good or evil, but instead seeking a balance to maintain peace. Personally, I wanted the story to take a considerable risk, but again, that goes against Erik Bork’s intentions.
The Elephant in the Room can feel like that lone voice in the wilderness wanting everyone to get along. There’s some sense to that. If we focus on our commonalities, the world would be a better place, and maybe we’d find love at the table.
For more information, visit The Elephant in the Room official website.
"…if we focus on our commonalities, the world would be a better place, and maybe we'd find love at the table."
