David O. Russell, who wrote and directed the suicidally-titled "Spanking the Monkey", has no conviction in what he's doing. He uses provocative situations as springboards for nasty little jokes; and when his picture begins to disintegrate near the finish, he cops a scene right out of "Five Easy Pieces" as a lazy out. College student is called home by his demonstrative father after mom has fallen and fractured her leg; although not happy about possibly missing out on a prestigious internship, the lad dutifully tends to his mother despite mounting sexual confusions, frustrations, and humiliations. Jeremy Davies is reasonably well-cast in the lead, although he doesn't resemble or behave like the actors (Benjamin Hendrickson and Alberta Watson) portraying his parents. It's almost as if Davies has been adopted by these people--which would certainly put a different twist on what transpires. Either way, the narrative focus is a mess, with one excruciating moment after another--and each of them followed by an unfunny visual or 'sardonic' verbal sucker punch. The audaciousness of Russell's conception palls once the viewer realizes this thinly-derived plot isn't about to go anyplace. * from ****
Review of Spanking the Monkey
