I get what Nightbitch is trying to do. This Amy Adams-led satirical drama movie digs deep into the physical and emotional transformations women experience during and after motherhood. Adams plays a new stay-at-home mother who feels trapped in her role, spending long, monotonous hours watching her child while grappling with a profound sense of loss.
Before becoming a mother, she was an aspiring artist—one with undeniable talent and the potential for real success. But self-doubt, coupled with societal expectations, led her to abandon her artistic dreams in favor of starting a family. This internal conflict forms the emotional backbone of the story, as she navigates the tension between her former self and the new identity thrust upon her.
And her husband, played by Scoot McNairy, offers little support when she announces her decision to quit her artistic ambitions. Their relationship is fraught with tension; McNairy’s character brushes aside Adams’ mounting frustrations with a casual indifference, failing to provide the emotional validation or partnership she needs. His dismissiveness creates a chasm between them, as nightly bickering replaces meaningful connection.
Adams’ growing sense of isolation culminates in her conviction that she is literally turning into a dog—a bold and bizarre metaphor for the profound physical and psychological shifts women endure postpartum. Director Marielle Heller and Adams aim to tackle these themes through a heightened, satirical lens, but Nightbitch stumbles in execution. The surreal comedy rarely lands, and the metaphor—while inventive—feels overly transparent and tiresome as the film progresses. Despite its intriguing premise, the humor is too broad, and the deeper emotional beats struggle to shine through the absurdity.
And Nightbitch is also awkwardly paced, with an uneven quality that fluctuates significantly from start to finish. The opening act is especially sluggish and unconvincing, as Amy Adams’ daily life is depicted with an almost exaggerated dullness. Her world feels oppressively crude, filled with scenes of bodily fluids from her infant son, forced playdates, and uncomfortable small talk with other moms—situations that Adams’ character seems actively disinterested in, mirroring the viewer’s waning interest during these moments.
The narrative picks up some steam when a late-night argument between Adams and McNairy leads to their separation. This plotline—detailing the co-parenting arrangement and its impact on both their lives—stands out as one of the film’s strongest elements. With McNairy taking custody on specific days, Adams finds herself with newfound freedom to reconnect with her artistic passions, channeling her emotions into creating work for a local exhibit. These sequences offer a glimpse of the sharper, more grounded drama Nightbitch could have been.
While the film eventually hits a more compelling emotional stride, the blend of crass humor and overly conspicuous metaphors drags it back down. The absurd premise, intended as a vehicle for satire, often feels like a distraction rather than an enhancement. Its exaggerated symbolism, linking Adams’ transformation into a dog with the physical and psychological tolls of motherhood, grows tiresome and shallow over time.
The film’s biggest flaw is its reliance on absurdity to stand out, which ironically limits its depth and potential impact. Nightbitch works best when it focuses on its authentic emotional beats, but its fixation on a loud, over-the-top premise ultimately caps its ambitions at a frustratingly low ceiling.
I did not care much for Nightbitch. It’s easily one of my least favorite movies of 2024, largely because its combination of intent and execution feels so clumsy and mismanaged. The film seems to rely heavily on its ridiculous and crude comedic elements, but those rarely land. It’s not that I’m above this kind of humor—it can work when infused with cleverness or creativity—but there’s very little of that to be found here. The result is a movie that feels tedious and shallow, a concept that might have sounded bold on paper but ultimately falls flat in practice.
Score: 2/10
- Cast: Amy Adams, Scoot McNairy, Jessica Harper
- Director: Marielle Heller
- Genre: Comedy
- Runtime: 99 minutes
- Rated: R
- Release Date: December 6, 2024
- Read about Nightbitch (2024) on Wikipedia and IMDb
More Movies Starring Amy Adams
Amy Adams has starred in the following movies:
- Catch Me if You Can (2002)
- The Master (2012)
- Her (2013)
- Arrival (2016)
- Nightbitch (2024)
More Movies Starring Scoot McNairy
Scoot McNairy has starred in the following movies:
- 12 Years a Slave (2013)
- Gone Girl (2014)
- Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019)
- Speak No Evil (2024)
- Nightbitch (2024)
- A Complete Unknown (2024)
More Movies Directed by Marielle Heller
Marielle Heller has directed the following movies:
- The Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015)
- A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
- Nightbitch (2024)
