Spanking The Monkey

what "Garden State" didn't have the cojones to be...
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...

All-time great
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.

You alright?
I have an old laserdisc of this film that, years ago, I used to watch over and over. I popped it in again recently to see if I still liked the film enough to buy the DVD. It's not as funny as I remembered. Actually, it's horrifying. The only reason I'd consider buying the DVD is to give it to a therapist to watch and discuss it.

Ray (Jeremy Davies, "Saving Private Ryan") has to pass up an internship to the Surgeon General's office so he can take care of his mother, Susan (Alberta Watson, "Guilt by Association"), who's bedridden due to depression and a broken leg. His father Tom (Benjamin Hendrickson, "Regarding Henry") is busy traveling around the country selling motivational tapes. Susan and Ray develop an unhealthy relationship.

This is a very angry film. Maybe I didn't notice this before because I was distracted by the in-jokes, like the winky "Shaking Hands" homage to "The Graduate" when Tom confronts Ray -- or maybe I was too angry myself to notice the...

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