David O. Russell directs Mark Wahlberg on the set of The Fighter

SERIES
The Films of David O. Russell

January 19–February 6, 2011

Teeming with life, David O. Russell’s acclaimed new film The Fighter is at once assured and powerful, a cinematic experience that doesn’t fit neatly into any one genre. His debut film, Spanking the Monkey, is a coming-of-age story that ventures into mother-son incest without sacrificing emotional honesty or comedy. Flirting with Disaster is a screwball family comedy that cheerfully explores adoption, adultery, and many other loaded subjects. Three Kings uses wild humor to attack the absurdity of modern warfare. And I Heart Huckabees is a playful, irreverent comedy that is completely serious in its exploration of profound existential questions. In short, Russell has firmly established himself as one of the most consistently original and inventive contemporary filmmakers. With all the attention surrounding his latest film, this is a good time to take a look at his remarkable and unconventional career.

Made possible with support from Paramount Pictures.