Review of A Woman Under the Influence (1974) by Brian R — 08 Jan 2012

This is one of John Cassavetes best films. Gena Rowlands gives a stunning performance as the housewife Mabel who isn't all who she's cracked up to be. Her husband Nick (Peter Faulk) is the agressive husband who admires her wife but wants her to stop acting so starnge and unusual around his friends. "AWUTI" is a painful film to watch because, well haven't we all tried to please our significant other in a relationship?

Cassavetes really took his film to another level. I really admired the akward party where Nick gives a speech and tells everyone they have to leave before his wife gets home from being released from a mental institution. There's another great scene where Mabel (Rowlands) makes spaghetti and tries to make friendly aquaintances with Nick's co-workers only she's viewed as akward and flawed, another akward scene is whene Nick and his friend steal the kids from school to spend a day on the beach. While going home, Nick offers his kids a sip of beer. Afer seeing that scene I cringed.

It's films like these audiences will always remember and Cassavetes hits each scene perfectly on every note and it's never outdated. I'm sure this project must have been very personally for him since every scene, to me rings strong in my mind. Love may be complicated but it sure makes the small things in life unbreakable.