Amy Adams plays a woman who pauses her career to become a stay-at-home mom, but soon, her new domesticity takes a surreal turn. She believes she’s becoming a dog.
What Is Nightbitch About?
Based on the 2021 novel of the same name by Rachel Yoder, Nightbitch follows a former artist (Adams). She feels trapped and isolated by the demands of household life as a mother. Her husband is frequently away for work, which causes her frustration and an identity crisis. Deepening, she starts experiencing bizarre physical and psychological changes. With heightened senses, animalistic behavior, and a growing belief that she’s literally becoming canine, she runs with the pack.
Exploring the Film’s Themes of Motherhood and Isolation
Here, the story mixes body horror, emotional drama, and satire. The movie is deliberately awkward, creating a surreal metaphor for maternal frustration and burnout while leaning toward horror imagery.
Marielle Heller directs the awkward satirical film, which has a supporting cast that includes Scoot McNairy, Arleigh Patrick Snowden, Emmett James Snowden, Zoë Chao, Mary Holland, Archana Rajan, and Jessica Harper.
Other films by Heller:
The Diary of a Teenage Girl