A Woman under the Influence is women’s collective cry for help against a patriarchal society, where it’s simply much more convenient to put the blame on “a woman under the influence” than on the actual devastating force behind.

A Woman under the Influence is extremely raw and patient in its almost suffocating depiction of a dysfunctional family, where the wife is accused of being crazy by the outside world, especially from her bipolar and equally unhinged husband. It’s an upsetting of how Mabel, a mental unstable yet lively housewife, driven by her cold husband’s neglecting and insolence, strives to maintain her sanity when things start to spin out of control. Gena Rowlands was such a revelation in this, perfectly capturing both the hyperactive and vulnerable sides of her character with conviction, in front of her misogynistic, bossy husband played by an equally mesmerizing Peter Falk. As a character study, A Woman under the Influence succeeds in exposing the struggles of a woman who is told to be herself yet constantly gets punished for that. One of the best scenes in the movie for me is when Mabel desperately begs for help for the first time during the movie, after being publicly humiliated and scolded by her husband during a family dinner, “Dad, would you stand up for me?” And in response, Mabel’s dad literally stands up hesitantly, while asking Mabel “I don’t know what you want me to do?” It’s am almost comical yet at the same time extremely heartbreaking insight into the long-standing patriarchal alliance that’s been in play for as long as the human history, and Mabel, as a woman, is unfortunately forced to fight for herself and her children against such formidable tradition.

A Woman under the Influence is for me the best feminist movie I’ve seen, as it tackles such an enormous issue through the most microscopic lens, and creates a tragic, turbulent marriage story that’s both sympathetic and celebratory. Highly recommended.