Spanking the Monkey MPAA Rating: R Entertainment: +1/2 Content: -4

If the name of this movie doesn't shock you, the subject definitely will. A college freshman, Raymond Aibelli's (Jeremy Davies) summer plans are sidetracked when he comes home to discover that his mother (Alberta Watson) has broken her leg. Instead of completing a medical internship, Ray is stranded at home taking care of his mother. Ray's frustration mounts as he must take care of his mother's every whim. Eventually, they spend so much time together that Ray discovers he has erotic feelings for his mother. What's worse, the mother encourages these feelings and they end up having a physical relationship. Freud could have used this movie to graphically describe his Oedipal complex, but that doesn't make it entertaining.

In line with the revolting subject matter, there are many sexual references and several scenes of auto-eroticism along with breast nudity and rear nudity a few times. Ray is brutally punched in the face and stomach on one occasion and Ray's mother slaps his girlfriend. When a distraught Ray's attempt to hang himself fails, he then tries to strangle his mother. The language explodes with obscenities and excessive profanity. Marijuana is smoked twice, and Ray and his mother get drunk once. This destructive and meaningless film moves past the shocking right into the obscene and should go right into the garbage.

Preview Reviewer: Greg Wilson
Distributor: FineLine Cinema, 575 8th Ave., 16th Flr, NY, NY 10018