"Monkey Shines" is a genre cult classic which earns its title through solid character foundations and excellent pacing.
After an accident leaves him paralyzed from the neck down, Allan Mann (Jason Beghe) is a bitter, angry, and vengeful man. His mother is overbearing. A once loyal girlfriend turns his back on him. The doctor he once trusted seems to have ulterior motives when it comes to his well-being and recovery. Everything changes when Allan is given a trained monkey suited to meet his every need. Even if that need possibly leads to tragic accidents which befall those the creature feels threatens its master.
"Monkey Shines" is rated R for sex and nudity, violence and gore, profanity, alcohol and smoking, and frightening and intense situations. The "F" bomb is dropped quite frequently throughout the movie. There's a rather detailed sex scene, although I don't recall any nudity. Watching a monkey maim and kill people could be pretty traumatic for younger (and even some older) viewers I would imagine.
I found "Monkey Shines" to be an entertaining film which establishes its different characters rather quickly without sacrificing substance for scares or gore. It's a good balance of all the necessary ingredients for a rich psychological thriller.
After an accident leaves him paralyzed from the neck down, Allan Mann (Jason Beghe) is a bitter, angry, and vengeful man. His mother is overbearing. A once loyal girlfriend turns his back on him. The doctor he once trusted seems to have ulterior motives when it comes to his well-being and recovery. Everything changes when Allan is given a trained monkey suited to meet his every need. Even if that need possibly leads to tragic accidents which befall those the creature feels threatens its master.
"Monkey Shines" is rated R for sex and nudity, violence and gore, profanity, alcohol and smoking, and frightening and intense situations. The "F" bomb is dropped quite frequently throughout the movie. There's a rather detailed sex scene, although I don't recall any nudity. Watching a monkey maim and kill people could be pretty traumatic for younger (and even some older) viewers I would imagine.
I found "Monkey Shines" to be an entertaining film which establishes its different characters rather quickly without sacrificing substance for scares or gore. It's a good balance of all the necessary ingredients for a rich psychological thriller.