Product Details

• Actors: Jeremy Davies, Elizabeth Newett, Benjamin Hendrickson, Alberta Watson, Carla Gallo
• Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Image Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: December 6, 2005
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000BC8T28
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,044 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Spanking the Monkey" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

SPANKING THE MONKEY - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars what "Garden State" didn't have the cojones to be..., January 21, 2006

By 

Eduardo Nietzsche (Houston) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spanking the Monkey (DVD)

I Netflixed this movie simply because I really liked David O. Russell's other work ("I Heart Huckabees," "Three Kings," "Flirting with Disaster") and it did not disappoint.

The simplest way to describe this movie would be, a descent into The Dysfunctional Family From Hell, or mostly, The Dysfunctional Parents From Hell And Their Unfortunate Son. The film covers a relatively short span of maybe a week one summer when a college freshman finds himself unexpectedly trapped at home looking after his bedridden mother. It is a deeply absurd and Kafkaesque world which provides plenty of black black comedy.

Two things really stand out in this movie: 1. It is never predictable, which kept my attention riveted to the screen, and 2. It always looks and feels "real." That is to say, it never resorts to the usual hooks and cop-outs that most movies rely on: using a more attractive/telegenic cast, prettifying what little nudity and sex there is, having a satisfying/redeeming/uplifting ending wherein the main character "solves" a problem or "learns" a lesson at film's end, etc. The sheer level of interpersonal dysfunction is downright surreal, yet Russell captures it all with a chillingly journalistic approach.

Many of the scenes are not easy to watch, but due to their emotional and visual realism it is equally hard NOT to watch them. Yes there is some mother-son incest but it's not really graphic, the stark emotional violence is what truly disturbs. Overall a very original and courageous movie...certainly not multiplex fodder!

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All-time great, April 8, 2004

By 

"jt1252" (Lawrence, KS USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spanking the Monkey [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Brilliant, powerful, and while there are moments of dark humor, they are few and far between. This is a powerful, compelling drama, and once you get into it, you'll sort of BECOME Ray Aebelli (Jeremy Davies) and you'll appreciate one of the greatest acting performances in history. This isn't just about "masturabtion and incest." As another reviewer said, it is about being trapped in a situation you don't want to be in, and being unable to find a way out. When you view the end (which will come with a jump, that's all I'm going to say on the matter so as not to spoil it), pay attention to the metaphor that is used when he falls and....you'll have to watch.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not for all tastes, but a good film nonetheless, May 20, 2008

By 

Genevieve Hayes (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spanking the Monkey (DVD)

After being forced to give up a prestigious internship in order to "babysit" his mother, who has a broken leg, a teenager finds himself falling in love with his mother.

Much like "Happiness", a black comedy about a pedophile, "Spanking the Monkey" is the sort of film that will not appeal to everyone. This film is billed as a black comedy, and I suppose it is, in retrospect, but I didn't feel like I was watching a comedy when I was watching it. What this film is, is a truly amazing character study of a suburban family that contains some laughs but also realizes that a lot of what it's dealing with just shouldn't be laughed at. Writer/director David O. Russell ("Three Kings", "I Heart Huckabees") takes a subject that most people wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole, that is, incest, and explains how it could happen and the consequences if it does happen. The result is a film that feels completely believable and that is also completely compelling.

This is an intelligent film that doesn't provide the audience with easy answers. In fact, a lot of questions that this film raises are left unanswered at the end, like, for example, who did initiate the relationship in the first place, Raymond or his mother? It is also a very restrained film, and all the better for it. Don't expect to see any sex scenes between a 19 year old and a 40 year old. Everything is left to the audience's imagination.

Not being a big David O. Russell fan (I didn't like "Flirting With Disaster" or "I Heart Huckabees"), I almost didn't bother with this film (I only saw it because I bought it as party of a triple pack with two other films that I did want) but I am so glad that I did as this is one of the most incredible films that I have seen in my entire life. If you can get past the initial concept, I highly recommend that you see this film.