As a seasoned gamer and a father of two, I can say that the hype surrounding Nightbitch piqued my interest from the get-go. I mean, who wouldn’t be intrigued by a movie about a woman turning into a dog while juggling motherhood? The anticipation was real, and it didn’t disappoint when it finally hit theaters on December 6.
As a passionate gamer, I must confess, when I stumbled upon the title “Nightbitch” among the 2024 movie lineup, I was taken aback and intrigued in equal measure. The buzz around it had been building up for quite some time. “Nightbitch“, based on Rachel Yoder’s novel, promises a wild ride that I couldn’t wait to experience.
The film “Nightbitch” features Amy Adams as a transformed former artist, now caring for her and her husband’s (Scoot McNairy) 2-year-old son at home. However, this isn’t your average story about stay-at-home moms; instead, the mother becomes increasingly concerned that she might be turning into a canine. As David Fear of Rolling Stone notes, director Marielle Hunter delivers a potent commentary on motherhood through this unique narrative, as reflected in his review:
Let’s be clear: Nightbitch isn’t just reminding you that parenting a child is challenging; that’s obvious. Instead, it aims to express that contemporary motherhood can be incredibly tough and overwhelming. It challenges the idea that this struggle should only be whispered about in mommy circles or released in quiet sobs into pillows. This notion should vanish.
John Nugent from Empire commends Amy Adams for a truly exceptional performance in the film “Nightbitch.” Overall, he finds the portrayal of motherhood in this movie to be exceptionally genuine and authentic. In fact, it could arguably be less strange or surreal, as it seems Marielle Hunter held back on some of the novel’s more intense elements. Nugent goes on to say:
In a different yet understandable way, one could say: While many films feature well-known movie mothers, the true essence of motherhood – the daily grind filled with hard work and sacrifice to nurture a newborn – is seldom portrayed authentically in cinema. The film Nightbitch aims to rectify this by presenting an unapologetic perspective: it’s a blend of humor, horror, and messiness that encompasses elements of absurd comedy, visceral body-horror, and feminist commentary.
Lena Wilson from IGN shares that the upcoming book adaptation doesn’t quite match the depth of its original content. Yet, she appreciates having a realistic portrayal of a mother character on screen. In the words of Amy Adams’ characters, Lena finds the Mother in Nightbitch to be more like Enchanted than Sharp Objects, giving it a “Mediocre” rating of 5 out of 10.
While Marielle Heller’s film adaptation of Nightbitch appears to delve into the challenges of motherhood and is based on intense source material, it fails to deliver in terms of emotional release, character depth, or sensuality. The movie is overly neat, from its protagonist’s orderly home to the contrived, overly neat conclusion, leaving one with the feeling that it falls short of capturing the novel’s raw intensity. Amy Adams has the talent to portray unconventional characters, and it’s always enjoyable to see her in action, but in Nightbitch, she is kept within tight boundaries.
According to Natalia Keogan of AV Club, “Nightbitch” receives a grade of C-. She notes that the novel effectively establishes relatability, but it also delivers a commonplace exploration of womanhood that perpetuates traditional gender norms rather than challenges them. Keogan further explains her perspective in her review.
It’s natural to feel thrilled when our personal experiences are portrayed authentically on screen, but a great movie should offer more than just a reflection. While Nightbitch highlights the often unacknowledged importance of mothers, it doesn’t delve into the broader societal devaluation that contributes to women feeling undervalued and insignificant in their caregiving roles. It’s not just the fault of elitist artists or incompetent fathers or polished upper-middle-class moms, but rather a deeply misogynistic society that perceives women primarily as reproductive tools. Instead of reinforcing these gendered stereotypes through film, wouldn’t it be more productive to challenge this cultural misconception?
David Rooney from THR shares similar views with other critics, stating that since the story is already peculiar, why tone it down for the movie adaptation? Rooney finds it disheartening that a book that boldly spoke about the harsh realities of motherhood’s unspoken conflicts was de-fanged in such a manner. In simpler terms, he is expressing his dissatisfaction with the film version not living up to the raw and honest portrayal found in the original book.
In a film like Nightbitch, where the title is as hard-hitting as it is and the plot is as unconventional as a woman transforming into a dog due to the pressures of motherhood, you wouldn’t expect a timid production. However, Marielle Heller’s adaptation of Rachel Yoder’s 2021 novel doesn’t fully explore its unique ideas, missing an opportunity to be truly thought-provoking. This is unfortunate for Amy Adams, who delivers a committed performance but is let down by the script.
It appears that “Nightbitch” offers validation to mothers who have felt their identity reduced solely to the label of ‘mother’, as they can relate to this narrative. Critics have highly commended Amy Adams’ performance, often stating she alone is a compelling reason to watch the film, despite some criticism of the script compared to the original novel “Mother’s dog.
If you want to check this one out for yourself, Nightbitch is playing in theaters now.
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2024-12-07 03:07