Amy Adams isn’t a regular mom, she’s a dog mom in Marielle Heller‘s absurd body horror tale, Nightbitch. Based on the 2021 novel by Rachel Yoder, Nightbitch tells the story of a sleep-deprived and spiraling stay-at-home mom whose suburban life is upended after succumbing to her feminine rage. Equal parts disturbing and empowering, Nightbitch pushes the boundaries of the bizarre in truly unforgettable ways. Whether or not it fully lands is debatable.

Parenthood is a Mother

Amy Adams stars as the ambiguously named Mother. Her life has become repetitive a Groundhog Day caring for her toddler son while her husband (Scoot McNairy) travels for work. Once a prominent artist, her days are now filled with mommy & me classes, mediating tantrums, and the occasional opportunity to shower. One day, she notices something weird, a long rogue hair sprouting from her chin. Thinking it’s a result of wacky hormones, she plucks it and forgets about it.

As more days pass, she can’t ignore the bizarre physical transformation that is taking place right in front of her eyes. In one of the film’s most visceral and disgusting scenes, puss literally oozes out of her lower spine, and the tip of a tail begins to form. It’s an experience as painful for Mother, as it is for us to watch. The climax comes when she realizes that, in addition to the physical similarities she begins to share with the neighborhood dogs, she now has a spiritual connection too.

Watch the Nightbitch trailer here.

While on the surface this may come across as trite, the deeper meaning is rather alluring. The concept is that a woman’s animalistic charge is reborn with childbirth, and prehistoric maternal instinct is forever strongly grounded in our ancestral DNA. Women create life and therefore should be as revered as a god. Not exploited and dismissed as many new moms feel.

A Film That Understands and Empathizes with Feminine Rage

Nightbitch does reinforce tropes that seem a bit stereotypical, such as the clueless man and the overworked and underappreciated stay-at-home mom. However, director Marielle Heller encourages a more provocative conversation surrounding the regret of becoming a mother in a non-shameful way. Driving this point home, Amy Adams delivers a breathtaking monologue about feeling insignificant. She eloquently articulates the bodily and mental sacrifice that has contributed to the death of the woman she once was. Nightbitch does offer a place for those struggling to feel seen. It pulls the curtain back on some of the most vulnerable emotions a new mother can experience.

Takeaway

Nightbitch premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and has four wins and one nomination. While grotesque in a handful of moments, the film does strike a balance between dark comedy and surreal horror. Viewers may be surprised by the amount of humor within the film, especially in any scene involving her toddler (Arleigh Snowden). He is quite the scene stealer. As a whole, Nightbitch is an impressive vehicle for Amy Adams to go all in on a character. There are echoes of Demi Moore’s character arc in The Substance (for those who enjoyed that absolute spiral). While this film is mostly a riot to watch, ultimately, Nightbitch fails to have staying power. It does, however, serve as effective birth control for anyone thinking about having kids.