The first reactions have rolled in for new film Nightbitch days after a “terrible” first trailer concerned Amy Adams fans.
Nightbitch is the next film from director Marielle Heller, whose past credits include The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Can You Ever Forgive Me? and A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood, and it’s adapted from the popular novel by Rachel Yoder.
The book follows an unnamed woman who, after giving birth, is forced into a stay-at-home routine while raising her child. Due to the feral nature of motherhood, Adams’s character starts to develop strange new habits, such as walking around on all fours and eating directly from a bowl, leading her to conclude she is turning into a canine.
The trailer, released days before its premiere at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), was roundly branded “awful” by fans of Yoder’s book. These readers complained that the comedic tone of the film appeared to be at odds with the darker aspects of the story.
While reviews of the films have been rather middling, those who have seen the film are urging people to ignore the trailer, concluding that the film is not as bad as it was made to look. However, it’s worth noting that those left disappointed by the overall movie are raving about Adams’s performance.
NextBestPicture’s Matt Neglia wrote on X/Twitter: “NIGHTBITCH is so much better than the trailer would lead you to believe”, but he did acknowledge that, while the film is “consistently funny and razor-sharp, he wishes “it went darker”.
Globe and Mail‘s Barry Hertz added: “NIGHTBITCH: Ignore the terrible trailer, this is a fantastic showcase for Amy Adams, who gets her … meatiest … role since THE MASTER.”
Elsewhere, critic Mike Ryan said: “I kinda hated the trailer. That trailer is not this movie,” with AwardsRadar’s Joey Magidson adding: ”The trailer is not indicative of the film.”
TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey called Adams’s performance “one of the strongest I’ve seen from her”, stating: “She is just on fire in the film. It’s certainly one of the strongest performers I’ve seen all year. There’s no denying her skill, the quality of her performance and what she commits here. She’s just incredible.”
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There is currently no release date for Nightbitch, but the film will receive its UK premiere at the BFI London Film Festival in October.