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After an accident leaves him quadriplegic, a man (Jason Beghe) struggles to find a reason to stay alive. He finds hope in an adorable capuchin monkey trained to help him with his every-day activities. The man and the monkey bond, unaware that the monkey is the product of experimentation that makes her increasingly devious and hyper-aggressive, psychically linked to the man’s inner-most wishes — and those wishes are becoming dangerous.
George Romero (Night of the Living Dead) directs this suspenseful yarn based on a novel by Michael Stewart. Monkey Shines works because it takes the time to establish Beghe’s character and develop his relationship with the monkey he names Ella before the horror begins. And the horror doesn’t just come from the monkey’s homicidal killing streak — it also comes from the deterioration of the man’s relationship with the monkey. In a way, Monkey Shines is like a twist on Fatal Attraction, only between a man and a jealous monkey. We sympathize with both of these characters until it’s no longer possible to do so. At a certain point, the monkey becomes to full-blown villain of the movie, and we root for Beghe’s character — who has the ability to move only his head — to stop the killings and save his own life in a mano a mano climactic confrontation.
The only thing I don’t like about Monkey Shines is that it’s lit very flatly, like a TV movie, which robs it of a lot of potential atmosphere. But the script is tight, the characters well-conceived and well-acted, and the directing top-notch. Underutilized composer David Shire (Return to Oz) contributes a terrific score as well. Jason Beghe (also underutilized by Hollywood) makes a terrific leading man in a vulnerable situation. Kate McNeil is appealing as his love interest — and speaking of love — wow, is her love scene with a paraplegic ever an interesting one. John Pankow (To Live and Die in L.A., Mad About You) also puts in a terrific supporting performance as the man responsible for the experimentation on Ella — a Dr. Frankenstein of sorts who genuinely meant well before his creation leads to disaster.
Monkey Shines isn’t a thrill-a-minute or hyper-stylized like today’s genre fare. In fact, it feels more like a film from the ’70s than one released in 1988. But a good, simple story executed well can win over audiences in any decade, regardless of style trends and technological savvy. Romero’s old-school approach is timeless and highly effective.
A warning to animal lovers: While no animals were harmed in the making of this movie, there is one naughty parakeet character who meets an unfortunate end in the story.
With Stephen Root, Joyce Van Patten, Christine Forrest, Stanley Tucci, and Janine Turner.