Spanking the Monkey (1994)

I remember one summer when I decided to stay in my college town rather than going back to Florida. My father told me angrily over the phone that I didn't have a choice in the matter...that I WAS going to come home. But I understood the rules even if my father needed them explained: older than 18 and out of the house means that I can respect my father without necessarily obeying him.

So I was pretty confused about why in the world the college kid in this film (Ray) would put up with the tonnage of crap that he does. The movie opens with him heading home from MIT expecting to quickly leave again for a prestigious summer internship with the Surgeon General...but his mother has a broken leg and needs care and his dad's going on the road so he's stuck with the job.

Now, caring for your broken-legged mother when you could be advancing your career is annoying...but that's just the very least of this kid's troubles. I did feel the "trapped" vibe that was emanating from the lead, but I couldn't help just wanting to slap him. Hard. Get the hell out of the bad situation! Don't stay there all whiny and pathetic! You're obviously smart...so apply those brains.

I mean, what the heck did I just watch? This is one of the few movies that made me physically shudder.

C-