Amy Adams's upcoming movie Nightbitch might have received a bizarre trailer, but reactions to the movie following its Toronto International Film Festival premiere have been very positive.
The film sees Adams's character losing her identity as a new mother, and also, strangely enough, believing herself to be turning into a dog.
"NIGHTBITCH is so much better than the trailer would lead you to believe," writes Matt Neglia of Next Best Picture. "Marielle Heller continues her streak of offering insight and nuance into the human condition, in this case, motherhood, in a way that feels deeply empathetic. Amy Adams walks a tightrope, fully selling the character's internal struggle while exuding the warmth needed to be a good mom, all while nailing the comedic timing. Consistently funny and razor-sharp. If anything, I wish it went darker. Solid supporting work from Scoot McNairy and shoutout to Arleigh Patrick Snowden and Emmett James Snowden together giving one of the cutest toddler performances ever."
"Wipe the Nightbitch trailer from your brain. It's a cathartic, insightful, and refreshingly philosophical take on how mothers cope with the violent obliteration of their identity. Some of Amy Adams' best work," is the verdict of YouTuber The Oscar Expert.
"NIGHTBITCH: Ignore the terrible trailer, this is a fantastic showcase for Amy Adams, who gets her … meatiest … role since THE MASTER. Is Scoot McNairy the new Walton Goggins? Shares much more in common with THE SUBSTANCE than I think anyone anticipated," says The Globe and Mail's Barry Hertz.
Journalist Mike Ryan is also impressed: "I really loved NIGHTBITCH. This is a movie with a montage set to Weird Al's Dare to Be Stupid. I'm in. (I kinda hated the trailer. That trailer is not this movie.)"
Not everyone is blown away, though. Journalist Brian Rowe writes: "It pains me to say I found Nightbitch to be a disappointment. Amy Adams gives a strong performance in a movie that sadly never finds a satisfying tonal balance. Instead of going full tilt dark and surreal, it stays in a safe middle ground that robs the film of emotional impact."
Awards Radar's Joey Magidson also has a mixed reaction: "Nightbitch is at its best when Amy Adams is let off the leash. She's terrific. The weirder Marielle Heller gets to make the story, the better. Runs out of momentum a bit by the end. The trailer is not indicative of the film."
Nightbitch is releasing in the US on December 6. For more, check out our guides to all the most exciting upcoming movies of the year.
