Disclaimers: In this Nightbitch movie review I included a link to the Hulu listing and trailer. There may be Amazon affiliate links on the page as well. As an Amazon Affiliate I earn a small percentage from qualifying purchases. Also, please check parental guidelines and trigger warnings before reading or watching anything I discuss on my blog.
Nightbitch movie review
Released: 2024
Setting: New York and the suburbs
Genre: Dark comedy
Rating: R
Nightbitch movie synopsis
Nightbitch tells the story of an unnamed mom who believes in stay at home parenting (at least in the early years) but is climbing out of her skin from the lack of fulfillment she gets as the days blend into one. She loves her son and husband (who’s always away) so much but she’s trapped in the monotony of it all and yearns to do something more with her life, like create art as she used to.
One day she notices her features becoming more feral: sharper teeth, hair in strange places on her body and a tail stump on her lower back. At first it’s alarming, then she embraces turning into a dog full on. As she leans in she discovers tapping into her animal rage sets her free and makes her a better mother (!) The question is if this is really happening and if anyone understand or relate…?
Nightbitch movie review
When I first heard Nightbitch was being made into a movie I was surprised. It didn’t strike me as the kind of book that would work as a film. These days so many books are being made into movies simply because there’s a built in fan base…an investment that makes sense. Still, I was really looking forward to seeing the movie Nightbitch because I loved the book and wanted to see it come to life (more on why I loved it here). I even resubscribed to Hulu to see it…not sure if I’ll stay. And unfortunately, I was right, it didn’t work well as a movie.
However, that’s not to say there weren’t merits to this movie. I really liked the first half which built up the scene really well. Amy Adams played the frazzled, harried mom at the end of her rope taking care of her (quite well behaved) 2 year old son full time. We don’t normally get to see the frustrations and lack of fulfillment stay at home moms struggle with on screen. And as a mom myself, it was cathartic to experience these emotional processes playing out.
It’s just that I was waiting for more. The second half the movie just kind of faded away when it was what the first half was leading up to all along. I have to go back and reread some of the book but from what I remember, the storyline was so much more impactful on paper.
Where it strayed from the book *spoilers ahead*
One of the reasons I liked the first half of the movie better was because it stayed true to the book while the second half deviated and omitted. The movie had her and husband separating which I did not appreciate. The whole point was that this was about Nightbitch and her inner struggles with motherhood, NOT her marriage. Yes, he could have been more attuned to her but that was a side point in the book. Also, they totally skipped out on the moms from the library trying to recruit her to their MLM bit which was such a nice side plot in the book. The art exhibition at the end was supposed to be a supernatural show to really howl at the moon about and in the movie was just ehh. Lastly, Nightbitch morphing into a dog in the book was visceral, on screen it was “oh cool.”
Final thoughts
I’d recommend seeing the movie if you’ve read the book, are a parent and have Hulu. Even if you don’t meet all these requirements you still might really appreciate it or certainly aspects but watch at your own risk and don’t expect much.
My rating: 5.5/10
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