Spanking the Monkey

92% Tomatometer 26 Reviews 55% Audience Score 2,500+ Ratings Bright young student Raymond Aibelli (Jeremy Davies) is forced to sidetrack an important medical internship because his mother, Susan (Alberta Watson), 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 (Carla Gallo). But, as Susan begins relying on her son for both physical and emotional needs, Raymond starts developing disturbing and unwanted new yearnings. Read More Read Less

Spanking the Monkey

What to Know

Critics Consensus

David O. Russell's feature debut scores with an endearing cast and offbeat humor, finding compelling sweetness in perverse places.

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Critics Reviews

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Spanking the Monkey | Rotten Tomatoes (1)

Joshua Katzman

Chicago Reader

What it achieves most plangently is a realistic, empathetic portrayal of a young man’s attempts at self-assertion, with all the pain, embarrassment, and missteps that go with it. The performances and mise-en-scene have a naturalistic quality.

Rated: 2/4

Jun 6, 2022

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Spanking the Monkey | Rotten Tomatoes (2)

Anderson Jones

Detroit Free Press

The film's somber subject matter is brightened by the crafty direction razor-sharp editing, snarky camera angles, close-up detail shots. And Raymond's charming innocence, nicely underplayed by novice actor Davies, will prompt more compassion than malice.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 26, 2022

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Spanking the Monkey | Rotten Tomatoes (3)

Lisa Schwarzbaum

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B+

Sep 7, 2011

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Spanking the Monkey | Rotten Tomatoes (4)

Mal Vincent

The Virginian-Pilot

This is not a feel-good movie. It is a unique effort to do something unusual with suburban pathos.

Mar 22, 2022

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Spanking the Monkey | Rotten Tomatoes (5)

Quentin Curtis

Independent on Sunday

Writer-director David O Russell's well-observed film captures the sullen defensiveness of adolescence, and finds humour and sensuality in strange places.

Dec 14, 2017

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Spanking the Monkey | Rotten Tomatoes (6)

Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

A bitingly funny tale of frustrated sexuality.

Rated: A

Apr 9, 2007

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Audience Reviews

View All (194) audience reviews

TJ F Kinda weird but kinda good! Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 07/11/23 Full Review Rob Z Weird but funny. I liked the ending. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/10/23 Full Review Rob Z Pretty weird, but pretty good. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 07/02/23 Full Review Audience Member "Spanking the Monkey," a dark, far deeper Oedipal slant on "The Graduate", offers up a mostly slow, awkward, briefly kinky piece about a college-age kid striking out against his narcissistic parents. You'd never guess this from the nurk-nurk Seth Rogen-sort of title. Funny it is not. Still, it feels fresh and will hover with you a while, like it or not. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Audience Member Dark but funny. Don't watch with you mom lol. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/10/23 Full Review Audience Member Funny and weird. Love the Morphine song at the end. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Spanking the Monkey

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Cast & Crew

David O. Russell Director Jeremy Davies Ray Aibelli Alberta Watson Susan Aibelli Benjamin Hendrickson Tom Aibelli Carla Gallo Toni Peck Matthew Puckett Nicky

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Photos

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Spanking the Monkey (1994)

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Movie Info

Synopsis Bright young student Raymond Aibelli (Jeremy Davies) is forced to sidetrack an important medical internship because his mother, Susan (Alberta Watson), 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 (Carla Gallo). But, as Susan begins relying on her son for both physical and emotional needs, Raymond starts developing disturbing and unwanted new yearnings.

Director: David O. Russell
Producer: Dean Silvers
Screenwriter: David O. Russell
Distributor: Argentina Video Home, New Line Home Video [us], Fine Line Features
Production Co: Buckeye Films
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 15, 1994, Wide
Release Date (DVD): Dec 6, 2005
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.4M
Runtime: 1h 46m