A Woman Under the Influence

It’s been decades since director John Cassavetes released this film about a dysfunctional marriage and family, yet it still feels fresh and subversive today. It follows a middle-aged woman named Mabel (Rowlands), who is deemed crazy by the people around her—she displays odd quirks and acts more like her kids than her peers—but Rowlands gives her character a lot more nuance than that. She’s also desperate and lonely, as well as full of love and wonder. In contrast, her husband Nick (Falk) seems like your normal patriarch—strict, sociable, and aware of social cues and norms. But is Nick, in all his toxic masculine bravado, just as crazy as his wife? Cassavetes demands us to question our concept of normal here, of gender norms and familial expectations. And his intentions are brought to brilliant life by brilliant performances, notably by Rowlands who was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for this role.

Mabel Longhetti, desperate and lonely, is married to a Los Angeles municipal construction worker, Nick. Increasingly unstable, especially in the company of others, she craves happiness, but her extremely volatile behavior convinces Nick that she poses a danger to their family and decides to commit her to an institution for six months. Alone with a trio of kids to raise on his own, he awaits her return, which holds more than a few surprises.