Nightbitch

Starring: Amy Adams, Scoot McNairy, Jessica Harper, Zoë Chao, Arleigh Snowden, Emmett Snowden

Director: Marielle Heller

Based on the novel by Rachel Yoder

After pausing her career to be a stay at home mom, Mother (Adams) is growing frustrated with how her life has turned out. She loves her Son (Snowden twins) but feels like she has lost who she used to be. Her Husband (McNairy) doesn’t help matters, as he is constantly away from home due to his career and doesn’t understand what Mother goes through taking care of their Son. Things are about to change, as Mother begins to notice strange changes in herself, such as an increased sense of smell, pointy teeth and patches of hair randomly on her body. This inspires her to embrace her animalistic side and start to take charge of her life.

First things first, I think the marketing for this movie is awful. Much like the trailers for Jennifer's Body in 2009, it doesn't really understand or sell what the movie actually is. If the movie is labeled as "unsuccessful", this will be a huge factor in why it didn't find an audience.

Much like 2018's Tully, this is a loving tribute to the ups and downs of motherhood. While both films look at it through a comedic lens, Nightbitch adds a little body horror into the mix compared to Tully's magical realism. While this might turn some viewers off, the horror aspect is quite tame and mostly involves Amy Adam's mother being convinced she is turning into a dog. It's nowhere close to the grotesque level of body horror as something like The Substance and is often played for laughs. Despite this light tone, there are parts of this that won't be for the squeamish, as the dogs in the film sometimes do what dogs do in real life and bring home dead animals. It works in the context of the film but is a little jarring when it first happens.

Speaking of the laughs, there are plenty of them to be had. Mother often voices her inner thoughts or shows how she would like to act versus how she actually does. It's not a new concept and we have seen characters do this before but thanks to Adams it works well within the context of the film. Also whenever she does embrace her inner animal around other people, there are some great reactions from the people around her character. But first and foremost, this film serves as a insight into the joys and frustrations of motherhood.

But like motherhood, this film is kinda messy. One aspect of the film that doesn't feel as fleshed out as it should is the actual hook of the movie: Amy Adams turning into a dog. Its a fun metaphor for motherhood and the pressures surrounding it but it leaves a lot of questions unanswered and feels afraid to fully commit to it. This gives the film an uneven tone that only really works because of Adams's fierce performance.

As you could probably figure out, Amy Adams is the star of the show. She growls and barks her way into your heart and the film wouldn't have worked nearly as well without her fearless performance. Scoot McNairy is also incredibly sympathetic as the Husband. What could have easily been a throwaway character or de facto villain is given depth and closure that feels much more realistic than you typically find in these films. Jessica Harper (Suspiria, Phantom of the Paradise) also has a great and mysterious role as a librarian who may or may not know what Mother is going through.

Despite a fantastic lead performance from Adams and a sympathetic acknowledgement of the trials and tribulations of motherhood , the film barks more than it bites and doesn't fully capitalize on its premise.

Grade: B