I’ve read a few Nightbitch movie reviews, and the most critical ones are from people who have absolutely no idea what it’s like to birth or raise a small child. They’re shocked and horrified of the portrayal motherhood, as if it should be all rainbows and sunshine like the images we are so often fed on social media. Suprise, it’s not!

So, here’s a Nightbitch movie review from someone who’s been there, done that, right down to part about the kid sleeping in the dog bed. And don’t let the name scare you away, she actually gives herself the nickname in the movie!

Nightbitch Shows the Truth of SAHM Life

Amy Adams takes center stage in Nightbitch, a darkly comedic and deeply unsettling exploration of motherhood, identity, and primal instincts. Based on Rachel Yoder’s acclaimed novel of the same name, the film delivers a genre-bending narrative that blends horror, satire, and drama in a way that feels both raw and relatable.

Adams stars as a former artist turned stay-at-home mom (SAHM), whose sense of self unravels in the throes of early motherhood. Her husband travels often, so her only companion is her toddler. I thought the little kid did a great job being a very realistic little kid.

As everyone around her tells her how “lucky” she must feel to get to stay at home with her son, and her husband tells her how he would “give anything to stay at home” she just feels more frustrated and disconnected.

She takes her son to all kinds of baby classes and activities, and they are really just ways to try and make it through the day. She has trouble making mom friends and relating to the other women, as the only thing they have in common is that they have a child.

One extremely relatable scene is when she tries to share her love of art with her son, and it turns into a huge mess. I feel like almost everything I tried to do with my son when he was a toddler tuned into a huge dumpster fire.

Motherhood is a Transformation

Isolated, exhausted, and yearning for a connection to her past self, she begins to believe she’s transforming into a dog—a “nightbitch.” The movie captures her descent into this bizarre belief with both humor and chilling intensity, asking the audience to consider how motherhood can awaken deeply buried instincts and alter one’s identity.

Director Marielle Heller brings sensitivity and attention to character detail to the film, balancing the absurdity of the premise with a poignant critique of societal expectations placed on mothers. Adams delivers a great performance, embodying the protagonist’s vulnerability, rage, and dark humor in a way that keeps viewers riveted.

The transformation is a bit of body horror, but any woman who’s been pregnant knows what it’s like to have her body start doing strange things. And the weirdness continues postpartum, while you’re trying to adjust to your new body and hope your partner can deal with all the changes as well.

Criticism for Nightbitch

I read one terrible Nightbitch movie review from a guy that appears to not be married or have children, but he did have a LOT of opinions about how the main character is just an entitled woman complaining about her great life.

He called her interactions with her son “child abuse” and then also focused on their cat being killed and called it animal abuse. I admit I found the cat part a bit icky and fast forwarded that. And then there’s the fact that she uses taxidermized animals in her art, which he also criticized.

The comments on this post were just ridiculous, with people saying they would never watch the film, and it should be banned. And then saying the exact same things as in the movie- how she should feel lucky to stay at home! How they’d give anything to stay at home! How they don’t have kids but how they would love to be a stay-at-home mom.

They just don’t get it.

Nightbitch is more than a quirky thriller; it’s a visceral examination of the sacrifices and triumphs of modern motherhood. Amy Adams does an amazing job bringing this character to life and showing the other side of SAHM life.

If you’ve ever given up everything you worked for to stay home and raise a child and struggled to figure out exactly who you are after having a baby, you’ll get it. If you are able to open your mind and understand that point of view, you’ll get it.

So, give it a watch if you are ready for a frankly honest view of motherhood, with a weird and gory twist. Nightbitch is streaming right now on Hulu. And if you like reading the books movies are based on, click here to find the book on Amazon.