NIGHTBITCH (2024)
MPAA: R.
Release Date: 12/06/24 [Cinemas]
Genre: Comedy. Horror.
Studio: Searchlight Pictures.
[Seen at London Film Festival 2024]
"A woman pauses her career to be a stay-at-home mom, but soon her domesticity takes a surreal turn."
OUR MOVIE REVIEW:
Between trad wives and “child-free” advocates, the internet is full of people ready and willing to shout their thoughts about motherhood. It’s fitting then, that Marielle Heller’s Nightbitch – a bizarre blend of horror, comedy, and fantasy – hits the big screen at a time when the subjects of parenthood, female equality, and bodily autonomy are at the forefront of everything.
Coming out as a childless woman who suffers from “the curse” (wanting a baby) feels pertinent here because my own biological clock played a huge role in my reaction to this film. Amy Adams puts on one heck of a performance that’s sure to be nightmare fuel for even the most maternally inclined.
Adams and Scoot McNairy portray a couple stuck in a familiar rut. Mom has given up her career as an artist to stay at home full-time with the baby, and Dad plays the breadwinner while remaining blissfully unaware of Mom’s daily struggles. There are fights, misunderstandings, and still occasional sex between the couple – it’s frankly chaotic enough even before throwing in that famous twist. Yeah, the one where mom starts turning into a dog. Complete with fur and a little tail, she runs the streets wildly after dark. It’s an apparent metaphor for reclaiming her freedom from the “animalistic” toll motherhood has taken on her body and mind, though it feels less empowering and more silly than anything else.
By this time in the film, I’m panicking. This movie does not paint a rosy picture of parenthood. Although it’s important to note that Adams’ character doesn’t ever show any resentment toward her child. In fact, she seems like a great and loving mom. It’s more her silent and growing disdain for her husband (whose apathy I also found incredibly annoying) that’s pushing her over the edge. Maybe the real moral here is to be careful with whom you procreate.
Nightbitch is funny, frustrating, and frankly terrifying for anyone considering having a kid. To its credit, I’ve heard from parents it’s quite relatable, though the whole “dog” allegory does seem to get lost within the plot. Hopefully, moms out there will connect to Amy Adams’ raw portrayal of a burnt-out mom, and certain dads will get a wake-up call watching her obnoxious husband’s indifference play out in his insanely irritating interactions.