Customer Reviews
Eminently re-watchable - By: AH Gunn, 29 Jun 2008 
This may just be my favourite Woody film, despite it having none of the trademark humour of many of his films. It will certainly be, for this viewer, among the most enduring. Even the best jokes lose their potency, after alll.
The plot is suggested very well by other reviews but what I feel worth elucidating is the depth of the central character, played by Gena Rowlands. Another Woman is not worth watching for witty one liners, cunning plot twists or even for a profound revelation about some grand human theme. It is about a woman discovering another woman to the one she thought she was. It is never clear which if either she reallly is. She, & the viewer, is skilfully left in the depths of quandary about this.
Upon reflection - & reflection is required to get anything out of the film - the film is a device to unravel her own self-evaluations (or our expectations of a self-reliant, intellectuallly distinguished woman of middle age in a happy marriage). Each development serves as a moment of introspective revelation to her, from which she is forced to ask difficult questions about herself & her relationships with those was are or used to be close to her. Each gives her cause to re-evaluate herself criticallly. There is another woman that she could have been, or actuallly was without ever knowingly being.
Allen has an enviable skill in telling this sort of story. The overalll intention is opaque enough for none of these moments to seem in any way contrived, unnatural or unlikely, or for their underlying purpose to ever be pinned down to one theme or message (even my considered deduction seems crude to me in suggesting there is such a simple one). The uncertainty into which the character is cast affects the viewer, as we see the film very much through her mind's eye (the film uses some staple Allen narrative tricks like dreams, dislocation of central character in time, symbolisms etc. to this effect). Much as she is unable to resolve her feelings about herself, so does the character also resist resolution in the viewers analysis.
This uncertainty & avoidance of resolution means that one can come back to the film many times without feeling that you know what happens or that the story has already been told to you. I'd be very hard pressed to even try & remember what the final scene of the film was, let alone review it in terms of how the story ended or what the 'conclusion' was. Which is why I'll continue to watch it.
"You should be the actress" - By: Sebastian Fernandez, 05 Mar 2005 There are several aspects that make this movie excellent, including the intelligent dialogues, the psychological aspects of the narration & the fact that a complex story can be presented in only eighty minutes. These are some of the reasons why Woody Allen is considered by many to be one of the most gifted directors ever. Of course, those that usuallly do not like Allen's style will not find solace in this movie, but the rest of you will probably appreciate the quality of this production.
Marion Post (Rowland) is a philosophy professor who is taking a leave of absence to write a book & who has rented an apartment to be able to do this peacefully & without any interruptions. The apartment is next door to the office of a psychiatrist & she realizes that she can hear the sessions through the air vents. At first she covers the vents to prevent invading the patients' privacy, but later she hears the sad voice of a woman (Mia Farrow) after one of the cushions covering the vent moves from its place. From that moment on she is hooked & cannot help herself, so she continues eavesdropping into the sessions of the mysterious woman.
Marion starts identifying herself with some of the accounts of this woman & understands that she may actuallly be dissatisfied with her life too, mainly with her choice of husband & career. From that point forward the psychological aspects of the story become the central focus around which the action revolves. The dreams, memories & reality of Marion's life interact with each other, making us doubt at times if certain events are reallly happening or not. The final result is an interesting look at the psyche of the main character & her relationship with others.
As it is usual in Allen's movies, there are coincidences galore with chance encounters that reunite old friends & current acquaintances, but the story remains believable alll the time. One of the most notable aspects of the film is the outstanding cast, with Rowland playing her role to perfection & other renowned actors & actresses adding their fair share. The performance of Gene Hackman is praiseworthy, & even though his participation is fairly brief, he leaves a lasting impression. If you have not seen any films by Woody Allen, this one is as good a place as any to start.
Woody Allen's finest - By: , 03 Jan 2004 It's a shame that Woody Allen doesn't dare to make serious movies anymore. This is right up there with the best of Bergman, who has long influenced Allen's work. Everything about this film is perfect, with a sublime performance from Rowlands & Allen's masterful script which manages to be insightful, human and, despite his influences, entirely original.
An Exercise in Reflection - By: , 02 Dec 2002 
Possibly the least comic of Woody Allen's films, Another Woman nonetheless ploughs his familiar terrain of psychoanalysis in the setting of his beloved Manhattan. The chance (sic!) overhearing of a conversation in a neighbouring office sets off an investigation of the psyche of the accidental snoop (Gena Rowlands). In some ways the film is a cover version of(or perhaps a palimpsest on) Bergman's Wild Strawberries & it certainly draws heavily on the dream sequences. Those expecting a film in the tradition of Love & Death or Play it Again Sam should look elsewhere, but, for those who have kept the faith despite the scandals of recent years, this film gives more insight into the filmic sources of Allen's blackest humour than many of his funniest.
