Spanking the Monkey

A deeply uncomfortable black comedy that traps you in awkward, cringe-inducing tension, mixing squirm-inducing humor with a bleak, claustrophobic study of family dysfunction.

Directed by

David O. Russell

Genres

Comedy, Drama

Starring

Jeremy Davies, Alberta Watson, Benjamin Hendrickson

Tagline

A gripping comedy about letting go.

Overview

Bright young student Raymond Aibelli is forced to sidetrack an important medical internship because his mother, Susan, is recovering from a broken leg. When he isn't tasked with the most mundane aspects of Susan's recuperation, Raymond finds distraction in a neighborhood girl, Toni Peck. But, as Susan begins relying on her son for both physical and emotional needs, Raymond starts developing disturbing and unwanted new yearnings.

How it feels

Dark, absurd, tense and melancholic. Slow-burning and needs your attention.

About

Family, isolation, identity, coming-of-age

Content

Strong sexual content and language. Mild violence. No gore.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Watch the trailer on YouTube (opens in a new tab)