THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 6, 1994 TAG: 9410050051
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E3 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Movie Review
SOURCE: BY MAL VINCENT, MOVIE CRITIC
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
``SPANKING the Monkey,'' billed as a dark comedy, is more disturbing than it is either erotic or comedic. An impressive directorial debut for David O. Russell, working on a low budget, its strength is in the droll but detailed way it looks at the horrendous family life of a college student during the summer before his sophomore year.
Ray, from all that we can see, is a nearly perfect youngster. He makes good grades and seems intent upon fulfilling both family and career commitments. Most of the turmoil in his life is generated by adults - the villains of just about all commercial Hollywood movies. Since this is an ``independent'' film, and since it comes to us with an award from the Sundance Festival (the haven of good, cheap movies), we expect more than a commercial twist. We get it. Russell, who wrote and directed, is a careful, patient and thorough observer - taking in all the everyday details of suburban family life that a lesser filmmaker might overlook.
Ray is forced to give up his big-break Washington job in order to stay home and look after his ailing mother for the summer. Dad, a selfish philanderer, is on a sales trip, having affairs with sundry motel women. Mom is a neurotic but glamorous mess, bitter about the fact that she gave up her education and career for home life. She's abed with multiple leg fractures and needs her son to bring her an endless line of vodka tonics.
He has to take her to the shower. He has to give her massages. The lingering glances are obvious.
His too-young girlfriend leads him on, but goes running to her dad whenever Ray makes a move. She's an immature tease, but she's the only game around - except for Mom.
And, yes, all those advances on the part of Mom do turn out to be exactly what you expected.
Ray is played with great empathy by Jeremy Davies, a young actor who, refreshingly, has no aspirations to be a teen heartthrob. He's an average, skinny coming-of-age kid. Alberta Watson brings a world-weary and somehow innocent quality to the mother, a woman who is so tired and beset by her fate that she gives in to all her selfish urges.
This is not a feel-good movie. It is a unique effort to do something unusual with suburban pathos. Hypocrisy and manipulation are the forces of Ray's family. His problems will not be easy to forget. MEMO: Today is the final showing of ``Spanking the Monkey'' at the Naro
Expanded Cinema, Norfolk.
by CNB