Is "A Woman Under the Influence" Actually Just... Bad Parenting?

Okay, so I finally caved and watched this Cassavetes flick everyone's been going on about, "A Woman Under the Influence." And, yeah, Gena Rowlands is... intense. But honestly, after sitting through that three-hour endurance test, I'm left wondering if we're all giving Nick way too much of a free pass. Like, Mabel is clearly struggling, sure, but he's just constantly yelling at her and the kids. Imagine growing up in THAT environment! It's a wonder they aren't ALL having breakdowns. The scene where he brings all his coworkers home unannounced *again*? Unforgivable. And let's be real, the whole "putting her away" thing at the end... it felt incredibly convenient for him. He couldn't handle her, so he ships her off and gets to play the grieving, put-upon husband. Sure, she's 'difficult,' but maybe if he actually tried to understand her instead of just screaming "Mabel!" every five seconds, things would be different. I'm not saying she's completely blameless, but this movie frames her as this crazy, unpredictable woman while kind of glossing over how much of her behavior is a direct reaction to Nick's toxic masculinity and inability to communicate like a normal human being. I feel like people are so focused on Rowlands' performance (which, granted, is amazing) that they completely miss the point that Nick is a giant, emotionally stunted child who is making everything worse. The idea that he's somehow a victim in all this is laughable. Maybe I’m missing something, but it all reeked of a husband who couldn't be bothered to evolve or empathize, and then blames the wife when she starts to crumble as a result. So, yeah, great acting, whatever. But ultimately, "A Woman Under the Influence" feels more like a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked male ego and a completely broken family dynamic than some profound statement about mental illness. Fight me.