Movies
Spanking the Monkey
Offbeat, or if you prefer, beat-off (syn. for spank-the-monkey) comedy about a severely dysfunctional suburban family: the depressive vodka-swilling mother immobilized by a broken leg; the travelling-salesman father, on the road with his nightly hookers while bemoaning his inability to continue to fund his son's education; and the self-abusing (until interrupted by the nosy family dog) pre-med son, who, on his summer break, has to wait hand and foot on his mother, prop her up in the shower, apply skin lotion to her feet and thighs, and generally stoke the fires of incest. The capable players, Alberta Watson, Benjamin Hendrickson, and Jeremy Davies in the order of the characters cited, never let on that they know they are in a comedy. A sign of taste in addition to an airtight alibi. Written, directed by David O. Russell. 1994.
Reader Rating:
MPAA Rating: NR
