Nightbitch

Amy Adams really does throw herself into this as mother to a young lad whom she looks after whilst her husband (Scoot McNairy) goes to work - frequently for many nights at a time. There's no suggestion of infidelity, but gradually she begins to feel the strains of this relentless young lad's activities. He rarely wants to sleep, is always full of beans and has a penchant for repeating the odd expletive at exactly the wrong time! It's when she starts to notice some unwanted bodily hair, then some seemingly enlarged incisors that she begins to worry if she isn't undergoing some sort of transformation. All of a sudden, dogs start to show a special interest in her and she and their youngster start to play doggy a great deal more... She also finds herself experiencing flash-backs of her own mother and of her erratic behaviour. Might it be something in the genes? It's Adams's performance that stands out here, otherwise it's a really disappointing attempt at an horror story that falls between a multitude of stools. The character - few actually have names - vacillates between adoring mother (and, occasionally, wife) and maniac entertainingly enough for a while but then it becomes repetitive to no end. Sure, she's exhausted with her childcare responsibilities but why is that different to any other parent (not necessarily a mother) when faced with a child keen to explore and prone to tantrums. The marital relationship is presented in an wholly skewed fashion as if poor old Scoot - who was missing large chunks of their son's development - was somehow in clover whist she sacrificed her life and career as the "home-maker". In the end, once the humour had subsided, I found this a rather dull rant of a movie that contrived to suggest that this was a woman unique amongst parents, and that motherhood was somehow more visceral than fatherhood. What horror elements there are are entirely undeveloped and by the end I was just a bit bored. I did like the exhibits in her gallery, though - ideal for the Christmas tree, and the young lad (I think there were twins) was the real star of the proceedings.

This does a really excellent job showing how bad being a stay-at-home mom can be. It's especially effective with the verbal descriptions, some monologue others narration, and the montages such as that damned bit of butter on the pan day in day out. The acting is phenomenal. Amy Adams does not hold back at all. It also does a great job on the husband being more clueless than indifferent. This is the case for a lot of couples. He has never been asked to do these things let alone get any good at them. So he just didn't and he complains as he is doing it. I recommend this to anyone who wants a better appreciation for what mothers go through. 6/10.

What happened to my wife?" (Father). "She died in childbirth!" (Mother)

Nightbitch is the Swiss Army knife of motherhood psychoanalysis. The joys and sorrows of leaving a profession as an artist to raise a child are in full display as Mother (Amy Adams) eventually sees the downside of motherhood while clueless Father (Scoot McNairy) goes off to work several days in a row most times.

The reality of a job that pays nothing and leaves her sleepless while former colleagues prosper happily merges into Mother's fantasy (?) of becoming a dog. The feral aspect of this motif is handled deftly by writer-director Marielle Heller so that the film is much less horror than the title suggests. Any woman in middle-age, even with an aging parent to tend rather than a child, can identify with the contradictory emotions emerging regularly.

Nightbitch shows that even the all-consuming love of the caregiver is not enough to stem the resentment that can eat away at her happiness. When Mother scrapes the floor for food like a hungry dog, the point is well taken about the primitive nature of survival.

Mostly the loss of one's calling, in Mother's case as an artist, seems the greatest cut of all. But, then, our society has not yet fully embraced the idea of retaining or returning to one's gift during or after child-rearing. At one point, Father admits to never having thought about the necessity of tending to Mother's talent beyond nurturing.

To give dad his due, he was blindsided by her wish to leave her profession, never having been trained to explore motivations more fully. Nightbitch skirts analysis of Father's role probably because it would compromise the attention to the film's core subject-Motherhood. While the film is part deconstruction of the role and bodily horror (try to watch her discover a tale protruding from her backside!), it surprisingly exposes the many sides of parenthood through common sense, little horror, and some magic realism.

Amy Adams should be Oscar-nominated for the 9th time. She's that good and may win this time. As for the audience, the trip home should be full of discourse about the complicated jobs of parents and, by extension, caregivers. It can be a "bitch" and the grandest calling of all.

This film made me feel a lot of feels and I'm not even a mother, so I can't imagine how much it's going to mean to people who are.

Obviously Amy Adams is a force, and in addition the directing and cinematography is really beautiful. And pleasantly surprised by a few metaphysical and witchy vibes.

Interesting trend recently with this movie, and Your Monster, where a strange thing is happening as an allegory for female rage and repressed feelings. It's both empowering, but also kind of depressing. I hope ultimately it instills in more women to NEVER DIM YOURSELF, TELL PEOPLE WHO DESERVE IT TO F OFF, and "Insist on your joy" ♥

Adams is incredible in this role. It's different and some might find the metaphors frustrating. But the film has a strong point of view which mom's identify. There are some comedic moments but the film is not a comedy. As the story unfolds, some viewers may want to bail. But stick with it. It surprises and moves. But I'm a huge Adams fan so the powerful, meaningful and at times harrowing performance alone is worth the watch. The director takes chances and she should be recognized for taking on such a sensitive subject. It's rare look at the sacrifices of motherhood told in a unique, creative way with outstanding performances.