Spanking the Monkey | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

92% Tomatometer 26 Reviews 55% Popcornmeter 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.

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 Full Review 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 Full Review Spanking the Monkey | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly Rated: B+ Sep 7, 2011 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review Spanking the Monkey | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault A bitingly funny tale of frustrated sexuality. Rated: A Apr 9, 2007 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (190) 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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Spanking the Monkey

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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
Spanking the Monkey | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)
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