This review was originally published on September 10, 2024 as a part of our Toronto International Film Festival coverage.

Nightbitch, based on the novel of the same name by Rachel Yoder, has had a ton of hype leading up to its premiere. How will the film adapt the cerebral novel, which is about a mother who believes she is turning into a dog? Could this be the movie that finally gets Amy Adams her long-deserved Oscar? When the Nightbitch trailer was released shortly before the film’s premiere, was backlash against the tone of the preview, which many thought would be wildly different.

Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite MoviesMy Watchlist A suburban mother struggles with the isolation of stay-at-home life while raising her young son. As she begins to embrace her primal instincts, she experiences strange transformations, leading her to question whether she’s losing her mind or becoming something altogether different—something feral and dangerous.Director Marielle Heller Release Date December 6, 2024 Studio(s) Annapurna Pictures , Archer Gray , Bond Group Entertainment Distributor(s) Searchlight Pictures Writers Marielle Heller , Rachel Yoder Cast Amy Adams , Scoot McNairy , Zoe Chao , Mary Holland , Kerry O’Malley Runtime 98 Minutes Expand

That backlash is wholly unwarranted, though, and to look at Nightbitch (or any movie really) solely through the lens of its awards potential, is not really productive. Ultimately, Nightbitch is neither the awards vehicle people were hoping for (though it could still shake out that way) nor is it the disaster many thought it would be from the trailer. Instead, director Marielle Heller’s adaptation is very funny, a little gross, and another unforgettable role for Adams, eschewing the more literary-minded tone of the novel for something a little more populist.

Nightbitch Is A Tricky Film To Nail Down
There’s A Lot Going On But The Film Finds The Right Balance

Adams stars as the title character, only referred to as Mother in the credits. She’s drowning in motherhood, taking care of her young child while her husband (Scoot McNairy) jets off every other week for work. Mother’s exhaustion is evident – Adams wears the weight of motherhood on her shoulders, exhibiting high-wire energy in front of her son while collapsing into herself whenever his attention is elsewhere.

Adams struggles to get along with other moms, resentful of their embracing of motherhood while she has given up her career in the art world. It’s not that she doesn’t love being a mother, it’s just that it’s not the only thing she wants to be. Much of the film’s tension is derived from the idea that Mother is struggling to be more than one thing.

There are a few gross out moments that call back to the book’s gore, but it never tips too far into body horror, which feels a bit like a missed opportunity. Instead,
Nightbitch
leans into the sentimental…

I’d be remiss to mention the fact that a lot of the critics reviewing Nightbitch out of the Toronto International Film Festival have been men and, as someone who never has and will never experience motherhood, I can’t judge the movie through that lens alone. Heller, Adams, and Yoder’s impassioned talk at the Q&A after the film, though, expanded on the complexities of the film, and despite what may be surface level to some, Nightbitch mostly feels like a wholly unique and wild take on its subject.

The film never treats Mother like she’s crazy, though plenty of crazy things happen. There are a few gross out moments that call back to the book’s gore, but it never tips too far into body horror, which feels a bit like a missed opportunity. Instead, Nightbitch leans into the sentimental, even when Adams’ character is at her most wild.

Amy Adams Delivers Another Amazing Performance
Nightbitch Wouldn’t Work Without Its Acclaimed Star

The wildness Adams displays is seen in everything from cutting arguments with her husband to blunt and embarrassing moments in front of friends and acquaintances. Eventually, it leads to something much more primal, and it’s these moments where Adams shines the most, finding the perfect balance between joyful liberation and the underlying fear that motherhood has changed her forever.

The material doesn’t always serve Adams in the way that it should. Early on, Nightbitch tips its thematic and doesn’t dig much deeper, making the film feel cyclical in its examination of motherhood, marriage, and liberation. In the second half, the film turns into more of a domestic drama, almost as if it doesn’t know what to do with some of the source material’s weirder elements.

Related The Return Review: Ralph Fiennes Delivers A Fiercely Steely Odysseus In This Boldly Grounded Odyssey Adaptation The Return is a somber affair, opting for a meditative storytelling approach over a flamboyant showing of VFX, which elevates its intimate story.

That’s okay, though. That Heller was able to adapt Yoder’s unclassifiable novel into something like this is a feat in and of itself. Where it struggles, other elements make up for it. Most of the weight is carried by Adams, and it’s hard to overstate how great she is here, nailing comedic timing and dramatic beats with precision. It’s one of Adams’ best performances in a career full of them, messy and feral and unwieldy, just like Nightbitch itself.

Nightbitch had its premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival and is now playing in theaters. The film is 98 minutes long and rated R for language and some sexuality.

Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite MoviesMy Watchlist 7/10 Nightbitch ProsAmy Adams delivers a stunning performance in Nightbitch.The movie nails a tricky tone, balancing comedy, horror, and magical realism.Several disparate elements come together for a touching ending. ConsThe film feels cyclical in its thematic concerns.