The Cement Garden was based on Ian McEwan’s novel of the same name

The Cement Garden is a bizarre film almost surreal. The story revolves around a family with 4 children, and the tragedies they endure. Like the backyard “garden” cemented in, the dysfunctional family struggles in its development. Tragedies orphan the 4 siblings and they struggle to deal with things in each his own way.

The film is focused on the eldest boy Jack, who at 15 feels guilty for his father’s heart attack.  He was supposed to be helping him re-cement the backyard, the Cement Garden. But he had snuck away to masturbate. In fact, this is largely a coming of age film for Jack (Andrew Robertson), who goes from a narcissistic masturbate ‘r to the male head of his household in a few short months. The shared responsibilities, and lack of adult supervision, turn his hormonal tendencies into an unhealthy obsession for his 17 year old sister Julie (Charlotte Gainsbourg).

The tension between the elder pair of siblings is typical at first. As when their mother takes ill, Julie finds herself strapped down with the full responsibilities of a housewife. Their mother prepares for a long hospital stay and warns Jack that he must help his sister keep her absence secret as the authorities would put his younger siblings, maybe him too, into protective and take the family home. When she dies before treatment, Jack and Julie hide her body in the basement, encased in the leftover cement meant for the Cement Garden.

The youngest brother Tom is only a first grader. He misses his mother so much that be begins a psychological spiral. This spiral starts with bullying, continues with cross-dressing and role playing and ends with him adopting infantile behaviors. This pseudo-sexuality is rarely seen or captured in such a young actor. But the Cement Garden is not your typical film. Tom was played by the director, Andrew Birkin’s own son Ned. And the family affair doesn’t end there, as the female lead, Charlotte Gainsbourg is the director’s niece.

Watch a mom love her son !

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Spanking the money is a 1994 mainstream movie. It turns family drama on it’s head. redefining the relationship between a parent and their offspring.  The film’s title itself is a euphemism for masturbation, when one takes “matters into their own hands”.  However, the main character Raymond, feels increasingly that his fate is out of his hands.  Raymond (Jeremy Davies) has plans for a summer internship when his father makes him care for his bedridden mother instead. Susan (Alberta Watson), isn’t physically unwell, but she has limited mobility because of a broken leg. As Susan becomes increasingly dependent on Raymond, their relationship takes a disturbing turn, leading to a taboo connection between mother and son.

Exploring sexual awakening in the context of an inappropriate relationship “Spanking the Monkey” attempts to address the conflict nature of the Oedipus complex.  Raymond is resentful of his familial situation, especially since it has disrupted hard earned advances on his career path. He finds himself struggling to relate to his peers and is sexually awkward with his attractive neighbor.  Regardless, his sexual frustration, begins drive him into the arms of his mother, who is ever present in his daily activities. This exploration of a taboo subject forces the audience to question the boundaries of acceptable human behavior and challenges us to consider how circumstances can push individuals to do things normally reprehensible.

One could argue that director David O. Russell’s willingness to tackle such prohibited subjects is a daring artistic choice, especially for his first feature film. The forbidden change in nature of the principle mother -son relationship,  is not the only dark theme.  Raymond’s narcissistic parents manipulate him for their own comforts, though-out the movie. He is driven  to near suicide, as he increasingly loses control, over the direction his life is taking. So this is also a film about toxic relationships, how commitment with the wrong priorities can undo the best laid plans, robbing a person of years of hard-work.

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