Synopsis
Monkey Shines (1988) is a psychological horror film by George Romero, adapted from Michael Stewart's novel, available to watch online on iFILM. Jason Beghe plays Allan — a student-athlete left completely quadriplegic after an accident, adjusting to a life that suddenly requires help for everything.
His friend Geoffrey (John Pankow), a researcher with questionable ethics, gives Allan a trained capuchin monkey named Ella. The catch: Geoffrey has been injecting her with human brain tissue to enhance her intelligence. Ella learns fast — fetching objects, operating switches, anticipating Allan's needs. The bond between them deepens into something harder to name, and Romero lets that ambiguity build quietly. Then Ella starts picking up on Allan's darker emotions. Stanley Tucci and Janine Turner appear in smaller roles.
This is Romero working without the zombie framework he was known for, and the result is more controlled and genuinely unsettling than his usual pace. Stream Monkey Shines (1988) online on iFILM.
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