--- title: "A Woman Under the Influence: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/a-woman-under-the-influence/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/a-woman-under-the-influence" critics_score: 72 critics_reviews: 10 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # A Woman Under the Influence (1974): what the critics said Critics' score 72 from 10 reviews: 5 positive, 5 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews lean towards qualified admiration, with praise centred on the performances and the film’s treatment of family life and social pressure. Gena Rowlands receives the strongest notices, while Peter Falk is also praised for giving the husband nuance and helping sustain the story. Several critics find the film powerful or moving despite its flaws, and its sympathetic depiction of recognisable family behaviour is another source of approval. The divide concerns how much frustration accompanies that force: the ten assessments split evenly between positive and mixed, with none classed as negative. Empire finds the length sometimes frustrating, while the Los Angeles Times offers the clearest dissent on Rowlands, calling her performance overacting even as it finds the film moving and frightening. The available responses range from enthusiastic praise to substantial reservations about unevenness and a personal style that can leave viewers confounded. ## Time Out — DP Rating 5/5. The page describes the film as one of Cassavetes’ best, with an ambiguously titled story that carries social implications. The review’s praise is qualified by its emphasis on that ambiguity. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/a-woman-under-the-influence-1) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 89/100 (inferred from the text). The page is identified as a Great Movie review, indicating a favorable assessment. The inaccessible article provides no details about what the critic specifically praises. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-a-woman-under-the-influence-1974) ## Empire — William Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The critic finds the film powerful despite its sometimes frustrating length. Gena Rowlands’s performance is singled out, with Peter Falk’s strong turn also helping sustain the story. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/woman-influence-review/) ## Slant Magazine — Derek Smith Rating 3.5/5. 8 February 2026. Smith finds the film profound and moving, while calling the Blu-ray a budget-friendly entry point despite its lack of a 4K upgrade. He praises the film’s exploration of social pressures and the transfer’s balanced mono sound. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/a-woman-under-the-influence-blu-ray-review-john-cassavetes/) ## The New Yorker — Pauline Kael Fi1m's normalised score 67/100 (inferred from the text). 9 December 1974. Pauline Kael’s Current Cinema column reviews A Woman Under the Influence alongside another film. The provided page contains no review text, so it does not reveal her verdict or what she singles out. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1974/12/09) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 29 April 1994. The page content is unavailable, so the critic’s verdict cannot be established. The URL identifies a review naming A Woman Under the Influence, but offers no details about what it praises or criticizes. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1994/04/29/movies/review-film-when-a-man-loves-a-woman-a-woman-under-the-influence.html) ## Variety — Variety Staff Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1973. The review finds the film disturbing but says its serious treatment of a bleak subject is elevated by strong performances. It particularly praises Gena Rowlands’s bravura turn and Peter Falk’s nuanced portrayal. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1973/film/reviews/a-woman-under-the-influence-1200423294/) ## Radio Times — Robyn Karney Rating 3/5. Karney gives the film three stars, suggesting it falls short of greatness despite its strengths. She singles out Gena Rowlands’s acting as worthy of five stars on its own. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-vu3jq9/a-woman-under-the-influence/) ## Los Angeles Times — Mark Chalon Smith Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 17 September 1992. Smith finds the film moving and frightening, though its intensely personal style can leave viewers as confounded as the husband. He praises its depiction of slipping sanity but calls Rowlands’ celebrated performance overacting. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-09-17-ol-708-story.html) ## Eye for Film — Chris Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 12 March 2008. The review calls the film flawed and uneven but ultimately powerful and worth treasuring. It praises the force of Mabel’s portrayal and the film’s sympathetic, recognizable family dynamics. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/a-woman-under-the-influence-film-review-by-chris) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/a-woman-under-the-influence.md