SummaryMabel, a wife and mother, is loved by her husband Nick but her mental illness proves to be a problem in the marriage.
Directed By:John Cassavetes
Written By:John Cassavetes
A Woman Under the Influence
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
88
User score
Generally Favorable
7.9
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
88% Positive
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
13% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
100
That sort of depth is rare in most movies; it's the trademark, however, of John Cassavetes.
100
Rowlands gives a harrowing performance as a housewife coming unhinged.
100
A Woman Under the Influence gives us a woman whose influences only gradually reveal themselves. And as they do, they give us insights not only into one specific, brilliantly created, woman but into some of the problems of surviving in a society where very few people are fully liberated.
90
One of the rawest, toughest, most emotionally scalding portraits of a marriage ever put on screen.
80
This is a disturbing portrait of a slightly-mad housewife. Its serious treament of a downbeat subject is hypoed by a fine performance from Peter Falk and a bravura one from Gena Rowlands.
70
The movie didn't need to be 2 hours and 35 minutes long: there's too much small talk, which doesn't really reveal character. Still, the most frightening scenes are extremely compelling, and this is a thoughtful film that does prompt serious discussion.
50
A Woman Under the Influence made me wonder: What’s the point of only showing a mentally challenged character’s distress? Is it fair to reduce Mabel to her rock-bottom experiences?
User score
Generally Favorable
81% Positive
26 Ratings
26 Ratings
9% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
9% Negative
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
Jun 21, 2020
10
I have seen it 3x in the last decade, it becomes vastly better each time, now one of my favorite movies of all time. It reminds me of Rosemary's Baby, which starred the director Nick Cassavetes as the husband. He is also considered the father of independent cinema, primarily for this, though by thisn point he had been directing for 15 years. Gena Rowlands and Peter Falk take turns being the crazy person in this fantastic film. Her time in the asylum is never shown, but was a point of fascination for filmmakers at this time, most notably a year later when Jack Nicholson was electrocuted in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Of note, in modern times Electroshock therapy has found new support through celebrities like Carrie Fisher, who famously said electroshock "has an appetite for your memories."
Production Company:
- Faces
Release Date:Nov 18, 1974
Duration:2 h 35 m
Rating:R
Tagline:A powerful, emotional look at love, marriage, compromise and life. So much truth and honesty in one motion picture leaves you emotionally exhausted.
Awards
Golden Globes, USA
• 1 Win & 4 Nominations
Academy Awards, USA
• 2 Nominations
San Sebastián International Film Festival
• 3 Wins & 3 Nominations
