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Spanking the Monkey (1994)
Director: David O Russell
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
A nicely matter-of-fact, sensitively performed US indie debut about a white middle-class pre-medical student lumbered by his dad, a travelling video salesman, with the task of caring for his attractive invalid mum during the summer holidays. Much confusion and anxiety result, mainly because the boy suddenly begins to feel longings for his mother. Russell's script and direction hit just the right note: the film being at once wittily satirical and poignant, erotic and uncomfortable, as it refuses either to romanticise or to make a mountain out of an admittedly troubling molehill. Watson and Davies, as mother and son, are especially watchable.Author: GA
Cast & crew
Director: David O Russell
Producer: Dean Silvers
Cast: Jeremy Davies, Alberta Watson, Benjamin Hendrickson, Carla Gallo full cast
Duration: 100 mins
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