Gena Rowlands in A Woman Under the Influence

There is this woman living in Los Angeles with her husband and three kids.

To begin with she seems a bit quirky, someone who likes a drink, and then she quickly spirals into mental oblivion, causing chaos and destruction within her family.

I’m talking about Gena Rowlands’ performance in A Woman Under the Influence, a brilliant film by the maverick filmmaker John Cassavetes.

If you have never seen it, I highly recommend it. You may need to have a lie down afterwards, it’s a very intense watch.

When my wife Natalie watched it, she said it was maybe too real. I know what she meant. It feels like you shouldn’t be watching it, it’s so private and intense.

Anyway, if you do decide to put yourself through it, this is what to look out for:

Behavioural improvisation: It looks like it’s all improvised, but it isn’t. There was a well written, tight script. The director and actors improvised their behaviour, not what was being said, and that gives the work a very alive and spontaneous feel.

Emotional depth: The emotional depth in this film is astounding. They really go there. There’s no pretending or faking, and every moment is grounded in deep psychological truth.

Grotesque: Gena in particular goes into what we call grotesque work. This is when the actor goes beyond the natural boundaries of realism. It looks extreme, but because it’s grounded in psychological truth, it feels disturbing and real.

Just make sure you have that lie down afterwards.

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