Film Reviews & Movie Analysis

Adapted from Rachel Yoder’s acclaimed novel of the same name, Nightbitch explores the raw, unfiltered journey of a woman navigating the all-encompassing identity shift that comes with motherhood.

We follow Mother, played by Amy Adams, who is adrift. She has slipped into the monotonous and isolating nature of being a stay at home mother. The refusal to give the character a name beyond her parental title is brilliant. It works well as a further emphasis of the themes of identity and isolation the movie explores. It also turns it back on the audience: How long did it take you to realise she didn’t have a name? What were you calling her without one? The answer to that is probably Amy Adams. But more relevantly, it will have been some iteration of the mother.

The film is a surprising delight. For all its intensity, it’s also hilariously transparent and painfully insightful. The script tackles the rarely spoken truths about motherhood: resentment, loss of identity, yearning for an escape—with a sharp wit and a refreshing openness. In fact, it almost feels taboo for a story to go so far against the grain in conversations about motherhood, typically depicted.

I couldn’t decide if I liked or could have done without the film’s surreal elements. Yes, they underline and bring comedy to Mother’s situation, and give a wash of unpredictability to the film. However, on the other hand, it occasionally detracted from the emotional resonance of a scene. Overall, though, it was still impactful as a reminder of our animalistic nature to be wild and free, especially when we’re feeling boxed in and overwhelmed by societal expectations.

Amy Adams was spectacular as Mother. There was something deeply human about her characterisation of the role that made her instantly relatable to all, even in those fantastical moments. Despite the cacophony of tones that came together for this heart-warming comedy/horror/magical-surrealism film, they rarely clashed, which is a massive achievement.

Visually, Nightbitch is striking. The muted palette of domestic life contrasts sharply with the vivid, almost primal imagery of Mother’s imagined escape. What I also loved is that Nightbitch isn’t simply about motherhood. It’s a film about sacrifice, identity, preconception and healing. No matter who you are, sometimes life, like motherhood, is all sunshine and rainbows.

But sometimes, on those days when you feel trapped, when you want to scream and run away, but you can’t? Well, it can turn you into a literal bitch.

Watched during BFI London Film Festival 2024