# Spanking the Monkey (1994)

> A gifted medical student’s forced summer caring for his injured mother turns into an unsettling collision of family intimacy, sexual confusion, and delayed independence.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/movie/10590

## Facts

- Runtime: 106 min
- Genres: Comedy, Drama
- Director: David O. Russell
- Cast: Jeremy Davies, Alberta Watson, Benjamin Hendrickson, Carla Gallo, Matthew Puckett, Judette Jones, Zak Orth, Josh Philip Weinstein
- TMDB rating: 5.7/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111252/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: none
- Mood: uncomfortable, offbeat, provocative, indie film night, cinephile viewing

## Movies like Spanking the Monkey

- [Other People (2016)](https://ember.film/movie/243073)
- [Tadpole (2002)](https://ember.film/movie/24783)
- [Slums of Beverly Hills (1998)](https://ember.film/movie/8705)
- [Threesome (1994)](https://ember.film/movie/5703)
- [Imaginary Heroes (2004)](https://ember.film/movie/15013)
- [Dark Horse (2012)](https://ember.film/movie/59193)
- [Mother (1996)](https://ember.film/movie/16384)
- [Sitcom (1998)](https://ember.film/movie/31084)
- [Lady Parts (2026)](https://ember.film/movie/3944978)
- [Nowhere (1997)](https://ember.film/movie/1197)

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