Canina

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.

If you didn't raise your children on your own full time, you won't understand. It has some overly dark comedy, but other than that it's one of the first movies that truly encompasses how it feels to raise a child on your own. I personally felt like clapping multiple times. I raised my daughter on my own since she was 1yr old and ran a home daycare, so I could relate all too well. The animal aspects were very over dramatic and at times gory, but the overall message was on point. I do feel that parents that aren't hands on with raising their children should watch, just so they know what us full time mothers really go through.

Marielle Heller's Nightbitch is a film that wears its metaphor on its sleeve, adapting Rachel Yoder's novel into an intimate, surreal meditation on the anxieties of motherhood. Amy Adams delivers a deeply committed performance, portraying a woman slowly morphing-psychologically and perhaps physically-into something wild. The film is honest, heartfelt, and full of intriguing ideas, but it never quite harnesses its own potential into something truly lasting.

At its best, Nightbitch captures the quiet desperation of a woman whose identity is dissolving into the routines of child-rearing. The film doesn't shy away from the frustration, isolation, and even the bodily transformation that can come with motherhood. The central premise-Adams' character believing she is turning into a dog-feels like a perfect vehicle for exploring these themes. The problem is that the film introduces a range of interesting ideas but rarely commits to them. It flirts with horror, dark comedy, and psychological drama, yet never fully sinks its teeth into any of them.

Visually, the film plays with an unsettling, dreamlike atmosphere, and the sound design heightens the tension in subtle ways. The moments where Nightbitch leans into its body horror elements are effective, but they feel restrained-almost as if the film is afraid to follow through on its own premise. Instead, it settles into a more symbolic and introspective tone, which works emotionally but leaves some of its most compelling aspects underexplored.

Amy Adams is undeniably the film's strongest asset. Her performance is raw and vulnerable, grounding the surreal elements in something deeply human. However, the narrative around her remains somewhat scattered. There's a sense that the film wants to say something profound about identity, femininity, and transformation, but it never fully lands on a clear or resonant thesis.

In the end, Nightbitch is a film that lingers in the mind but doesn't quite leave a lasting mark. It's compelling in moments, frustrating in others-always interesting, but rarely as sharp as it could be. It's worth watching for Adams' performance and its unique take on motherhood, but it ultimately feels like a howl that never reaches a full roar.

While it's not something that worked much for me overall, I do think Nightbitch is going to be a few peoples favourite movie of the year and I'm not so in love with my own opinions that I can't see why. Because despite it's more outlandish elements it really does feel like an authentic portrayal of motherhood and one that I did find eye opening in some ways. Amy Adams is probably the best she's be in nearly a decade in this movie in a performance that feels pretty fearless and it's a character I was on the side of from the very first scene in large part because of her work. What sinks the movie for me though is the techniques Marielle Heller uses to tell this story. The more outlandish elements didn't really work for me and it just kept feeling like it was taking away from the realistic drama on display. It's all very unsubtle with how it explores its themes with a lot of narration and fourth wall breaks that I found to be really grating. The whole idea of this character believing she's turning into a dog did take the film in some interesting directions but it didn't really feel like it was wrapped up in any meaningful way so it just ended up feeling like a strange choice that didn't amount to much for me. I also really didn't care for the husband character played by Scott McNairy but for all the wrong reasons. His character just feels like he's lacking majorly in depth and if his character had been fleshed out more the drama could've been more powerful. Nightbitch is admirably ambitious in how it takes a unique approach to its subject matter but it ultimately didn't come together for me. Amy Adams is great as always and I'm glad she's still capable of putting in a performance of this calibre but I'm still finding myself frustrated with the actual projects she chooses.

As a lifelong single male I'm out of my comfort zone to discuss this one! It's a rather fascinating, insightful (I think) and somewhat ruthless and startling look at early motherhood. However, while I'm sure some do, I don't get the canine gimmick, for lack of a better word. Not only do I not get it, I think it undermines the really fine parts of this which includes the writing for this loving, harsh and humorous look at a woman on the brink not really understanding all that would change in her world and her being after giving birth to her first child. However, gotta blame the the same writing team of Marielle Heller & Rachel Yoder for the canine analogy. While I don't think it her finest hour, Amy Adams is her usual excellent self in a tricky role that she conquers and it was nice to see Jessica Harper for the first time in a while, though the talented Scoot McNairy is wasted in an underwritten role. For me, much of this was a learning experience.