Spanking the Monkey (1994)

Raymond Aibelli is a promising medical student ready to begin a prestigious summer internship. But Susan, his mother, is immobilized by a broken leg, and his father Tom, a travelling ... See full summary »

Director:

David O. Russell

Writer:

David O. Russell

Stars:

Jeremy Davies, Elizabeth Newett, Benjamin Hendrickson

3 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeremy Davies	...	Ray Aibelli
Elizabeth Newett	...	Bus Woman
Benjamin Hendrickson	...	Tom Aibelli
Alberta Watson	...	Susan Aibelli
Carla Gallo	...	Toni Peck
Liberty Jean	...	Motel Woman #1
Archer Martin	...	Motel Woman #2
Matthew Puckett	...	Nicky
Zak Orth	...	Curtis
Josh Phillip Weinstein	...	Joel
Judah Domke	...	Don
Nancy Fields	...	Dr. Wilson
Judette Jones	...	Aunt Helen
Carmine Paolini	...	Mailman
Neil Connie Wallace	...	Walter Hooten

Storyline

Raymond Aibelli is a promising medical student ready to begin a prestigious summer internship. But Susan, his mother, is immobilized by a broken leg, and his father Tom, a travelling salesman, makes Raymond stay home and take care of his mother, an attractive though unhappy woman. His mother's condition leads them to a degree of immediate physical contact which Raymond finds disturbing. He soon meets Toni, a high school girl, but his sexual impulses are increasingly confused, especially since he is still upset over losing the internship.

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Plot Keywords:

traveling salesman | adultery | mother son relationship | dysfunctional family | female rear nudity | 

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Taglines:

Get a grip on yourself.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 July 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Secretos íntimos

Filming Locations:

Pawling, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$200,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$1,359,736 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Buckeye Films, Swelter Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

David O. Russell:  in white T-shirt in the background at the bus stop where Ray's father picks him up.

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Goofs

Boom mic clearly visible when Mr Aibelli first phones Ray from the hotel room.

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Quotes

Ray Aibelli: [Helen keeps interrupting Ray and his mother talk] Can you do me a favor, Helen?
[shouting]
Ray Aibelli: Shut your big fat mouth!
Ray Aibelli: [moments later after she walks off the house] I'm sorry! I didn't mean to.
Aunt Helen: [crying] You said fat mouth!

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Connections

References Beach Blanket Bingo (1965)

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Soundtracks

"Let's Take A Trip Together"
Composed by Mark Sandman
Performed by Morphine
Copyright 1993 Head With Wings Music/Pubco (BMI)

User Reviews

Erotic for all the wrong reasons...

An independent film that bravely confronts the subject of consensual incest is presented as a dark comedy in which ALBERTA WATSON and JEREMY DAVIES, as mother and son, have the key roles. It's their mother/son relationship at the heart of the story that is compelling and sometimes erotic--especially the scene where Davies has to massage his mother's legs and toes while they discuss why her road travelling husband isn't there to do it for her.

When the story strays to others outside this relationship, it fails to make the same connection. The father is strictly a man so obsessed with his own career that he ignores his wife. She, in turn, is a manipulative shrew who virtually seduces her son because she's a needy woman. The son's friends are depicted as total drug-happy boors and boozers whose minds are completely idle.

At times the story becomes dark and brooding--even intense--and yet there's a surface tension broken by laughter at some of the shenanigans going on in this dysfunctional, to say the least, family.

Outstanding work by JEREMY DAVIES and ALBERTA WATSON. He's highly sympathetic in his predicament all the way through and she's totally despicable in the manner by which she exerts control over him. Both show complete understanding of their difficult roles.

Summing up: Interesting tale, character-driven and flawed, but worth watching.