Originally Posted by
DanielBenoit
A Woman Under the Influence - Some films seem to flash before your eyes in seconds and then they are over. I for one enjoy films, and thus if I am watching a good movie, prefer the film to go on. I do not think extended running length is a vice.
That's why it's almost so strange to watch A Woman Under the Influence a Cassavetes film which runs at 155 minutes but probably has under eight full scenes. These scenes are stretched out beyond expectation to emphasize the reality and the life of this films characters. There is not one false moment in this film.
The plot: A blue-collar working man (played tensely by Falk) begins to come under the impression that his wife (played masterfully by Rowland) might be insane, and decides to commit her. It is well established that he has been aware of this for a very long time, as is everybody else, and is merely regarded as her quirky attitude.
It is quite obvious that Mabel has some issues at the begining of the film when her husband calls her and says that he is going to have to work late. Tonight was supposed to be a special night for them, they had sent the kids to their mothers, so the house would be empty. Nick seems to know from experience her behavoir and dreads returning home to something terrible. Something does happen, but hardly serves the plot and rather shows us Mabel's world.
The following scene takes place at a dinner table, with a dozen or so of Nick's friends coming over for dinner. Here a base is formed on which we discover these characters. Mabel seems to possess more social anxities and esteem problems than she does insanity and tries too hard to please. In fact, the dinner goes well even when she begins to get comfortable, and thus over-the-top eccentric. It is not until at one point Nick yells out "sit your *** down" does a state of silence vanquish the scene.
Unlike many films, this is not about characters evolving, both spouses are still helplessly themselves in the end, but rather about characteristic discovery, for both the audience and the protaganists. It involves two great performances by Falk and Rowland and intense camera-work by Cassavetes. There are some scenes of such extreme emotional intensity, that sometimes you are shocked, and yet, you despairingly know what's going to happen.
A Woman under the Influence is a film about two helplessly wounded people; one who doesn't know how to act in front of others and thus escapes into eccentricity, another who is terrified of a lack of order and is easily ashamed by his wife's acts, and reacts in shocking ways.
There is one immensely powerful scene in which Mabel returns after six months of being in the institution. Everyone is unnerved upon seeing her behave, which lacks all of the antics and embaressing idiosyncracies. Nick is ironically embaressed by this and takes her upstairs and demands that she just be herself. Covered in shadows the two try to discover what it is they want out of each other. In the end it seems that they don't want anything, but rather must have each other in their own madness. Mainly because not everybody is as forgiving as Mabel.
10/10
Reply With Quote
