“THERE’S no bitch on earth like a mother frightened for her kids.”
Stephen King’s words ring true in writer-director Marielle Heller’s debut feature, surreal doggy fantasy Nightbitch, well, kind of. Adapted from Rachel Yoder’s 2021 gothic novel, it sees Amy Adams play the part of an artist who puts her career on hold to be a stay-at-home mum.
In this instance, however, mother is more frightened for her own sanity and the loss of an independent working life outside the home, than her bouncy toddler that refuses to sleep and spends his days riding mammy on all fours across the living room floor, and smearing paint on every household surface.
Be afraid, be very afraid. Motherhood is no picnic, but as Spider-Man’s wise old uncle would probably point out – “with great power comes great responsibility”.
Being a new mother is a wild ride for sure, it’s certainly not easy, and can be both mentally and physically gruelling. The lack of sleep, alone time, identity, intelligent adult conversation, fulfilment and purpose, soon drives Adams’s character to despair.
”I am afraid I will never be smart or happy or thin again. I am afraid I might be turning into a dog,” she confesses early on in the film.
The frustrated mammy wants her old life back, and longs for a new chapter, which she can claim as all her own. As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for.
Mother soon tunes into her primal and more animalistic instincts when her nightly routine takes a surreal turn and her maternal senses start to manifest in canine form.
There’s some initial concern, but soon she begins to relish her nighttime escapades, running wild and free from the drudgery and loneliness of domestic chores. Mother finally channels her inner goddess and won’t be muzzled any longer.
Now streaming on Disney+, Nightbitch is an interesting concept that comes off rather neutered and proves more bark than bite.
(2/5)
