Under the Influence is a film about choices made in life and how those choices affect others. It’s title can be both abstract and surreal. A choice one person makes can ignite a cataclysmic sequence of events where many will be affected by that decision, possibly for a lifetime. Under the Influence, metaphorically speaking, is a gritty but objective look at those choices made and consequences suffered.
Tim Warner and Derrick Taylor are a lot alike, even though they have never met. Both fathers are happily married with 11 year old daughters, living in suburban American. Both of their lives are about to change forever. Within a matter of days, both men lose their wives and the fathers are left to struggle with their own emotions, as well as the challenges of raising their daughters single-handedly. The story that unravels is one of heartfelt sadness and hope, as two families left without mothers learn to live with the consequences of a drunk driving accident.