Rachel Yoder’s Nightbitch took the book club circuit by storm in 2021 for understandable reason. The story’s feminist take on suburban, stay-at-home motherhood is a scathing and brutally funny one that was theoretically ripe for adaptation, even if filming practicalities might have sounded insurmountable. The idea of a Mother (Amy Adams) believing that she’s turning into a canine — and as the logline reveals, she “slowly embraces the feral power deeply rooted in motherhood” while running with the dogs and terrorizing cats — sounds too camp to pull off onscreen. And that tricky balance for this surreal dark comedy was confirmed in recent a trailer that didn’t exactly hit the mark:
To complicate matters, much of the discourse seems to be based upon the idea that Adams is chasing an Oscar win with this role after scoring six nominations over the years. The Sharp Objects actress, for her part, attended the TIFF premiere of the movie while telling Indiewire that she isn’t currently focused on whether she’s nominated for awards (“it’s not something I think about…”) but wouldn’t be mad if it helps the movie grow an audience (“I’m always happy if a film connects in a way that increases exposure for the film”).
The film, which stars Scoot McNairy (Halt and Catch Fire, Narcos: Mexico) and is directed and written by Marielle Heller (“A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood”), debuted at TIFF this week, and the below critic reactions urge people to lose the trailer because it’s reportedly not an accurate representation of the film. There’s even a comparison to The Substance:
“NIGHTBITCH: Ignore the terrible trailer, this is a fantastic showcase for Amy Adams, who gets her … meatiest … role since THE MASTER… Shares much more in common with THE SUBSTANCE than I think anyone anticipated.”
Next Best Picture’s Matt Neglia:
NIGHTBITCH is so much better than the trailer would lead you to believe. Marielle Heller continues her streak of offering insight and nuance into the human condition, in this case, motherhood, in a way that feels deeply empathetic. Amy Adams walks a tightrope, fully selling the character’s internal struggle while exuding the warmth needed to be a good mom, all while nailing the comedic timing. Consistently funny and razor-sharp. If anything, I wish it went darker.
Nightbitch is so much better than that trailer suggests. An insightful, amusing, and ultimately heartfelt look into motherhood. It is also a fabulous showcase for one of our greatest living actresses as Amy Adams totally crushes it. Another winner for Marielle Heller.
“Wipe the Nightbitch trailer from your brain. It’s a cathartic, insightful, and refreshingly philosophical take on how mothers cope…”
Nightbitch arrives in theaters on December 6.