A Woman Under the Influence (1974)

Director: John Cassavetes
Stars: Gena Rowlands, Peter Falk, Fred Draper
Runtime: 155 minutes

Synopsis: Mabel, a wife, and mother, is loved by her husband Nick but her mental illness proves to be a problem in the marriage.

Performances: 9/10
Screenplay: 8/10
Editing: 6/10
Cinematography: 7/10
Score/Soundtrack: 9/10
Enjoyment Factor: 8/10

Verdict: This movie was referenced in Charlie Kaufman's "I'm Thinking of Ending Things", so I naturally had to seek it out and watch it. Directed by John Cassavetes, "A Woman Under the Influence" is an independent feature in every sense of the word. Initially supposed to be a play, it was then turned into a feature film considering how demanding the leading role was, but the director couldn't find a studio willing to invest in a project tackling a subject regarded as taboo at the time. A story about a middle-aged woman suffering from a mental illness? Too risky, they said. So Cassavetes, with the help of some allies (including Peter Falk and Martin Scorsese), took care of finding the necessary funds to greenlight the project and had to distribute it on their own. The final result? Two Oscar nominations and a permanent place in film history.

While the highlight of the film is easily Gena Rowlands' fantastic performance as Mabel, a housewife neglected by her abusive husband who, on yet another frustrating night in, decides to go out for a drink only to end up being the victim of a disgusting crime. After having a bit too much alcohol in her system, she is accompanied back home by a man who takes the opportunity to sexually assault her, throwing her over the edge of a mental breakdown that only got worse as time went by. What follows is a depressing study of the effects this breakdown had on herself and her family, as well as a glimpse at how mental health was perceived at the time. Clocking at over two and a half hours, The runtime is the only real problem I had with a film that could've benefited from a little trim as it did get repetitive for a little while. Bo Harwood's score, on the other hand, was a sublime addition to the movie as it contrasted the chaotic nature of Mabel's character, giving it a fitting bipolar personality.

"A Woman Under the Influence" is nowadays considered to be one of the greatest American movies of all time, and I can totally see why. It's not an easy watch, but one that is ahead of its time and enhanced by a performance for the ages. Thank you, Kaufman, for the recommendation.

FINAL GRADE: 8/10