Amy Adams goes absolutely wild in this comedy about motherhood and identity

night beachBased on the novel of the same name by Rachel Yuder, had a lot of hype to its premiere. How will the film adapt the cerebral novel, which is about a mother who believes she is becoming a dog? Could this be the movie that finally gets Amy Adams her long-deserved Oscar? When the night beach Trailer was released shortly before the premiere of the film, there was a backlash against the tone of the preview, which many thought would be wildly different.

That backlash is completely unwarranted, though, and to look into night beach (or any movie really) only through the lens of its awards potential, is not really productive. finally, night beach Is not the awards vehicle people were hoping for (although it may still shake out that way), or is it the disaster many thought it would be from the trailer. Instead, director Marielle Heller’s adaptation is very funny, a bit crude, and another unforgettable role for Adams, eschewing the more literary-minded tone of the novel for something a little more pop.

Nightbitch is a tricky film to nail down

It goes on but the film finds the right balance

Adams stars as the title character, only referred to as Mother in the credits. She is immersed in motherhood, caring for her young child while her husband (Scott McNairy) jets off every other week for work. Mother’s exhaustion is evident – Adams carries the weight of motherhood on her shoulders, exhibiting high-wire energy in front of her son while collapsing into herself when his attention is elsewhere.

Adams struggles to get along with other moms, resentful of their embracing of motherhood while she has given up her career in the art world. Not that she doesn’t like being a mother, but that’s not the only thing she wants to be. Much of the film’s tension is derived from the idea that Mother is struggling to be more than one thing.

I would be remiss to mention the fact that many of the critics are reviewing night beach Out of the Toronto International Film Festival are People and, as someone who never has and never will experience motherhood, I can’t judge this movie through that lens alone. Heller, Adams and Yoder’s impassioned talk at the post-film Q&A, however, expanded on the film’s complexities, and despite what may be surface level to some, night beach Mostly feels like a completely unique and wild take on its theme.

The film never treats Mother like she’s crazy, even though a lot of crazy things happen. There are a few gory moments that call back to the gore of the book, but it never trips too far into body horror, which feels a bit like a missed opportunity. instead, night beach Leans into the sentimental, even when Adams’ character is at her wildest.

Amy Adams delivers another amazing performance

Nightbeach wouldn’t work without its acclaimed star

The wildness that Adams shows can be seen in everything, from cutting arguments with her husband to open and beautiful moments for friends and acquaintances. Eventually, it leads to something much more primal, and these are the moments where Adams shines the most, finding the perfect balance between joyful liberation and the underlying fear that motherhood has changed her forever.

The material does not always serve Adams as it should. in early night beach Tipping is thematic and doesn’t dig much deeper, making the film feel cyclical in its examination of motherhood, marriage and liberation. In the second half, the film becomes more of a domestic drama, almost like it doesn’t know what to do with some of the strange elements of the source material.

That’s okay, though. That Heller was able to adapt Yoder’s unclassifiable novel into such a thing is a story in itself. Where it struggles, other elements make up for it. Most of the weight is carried by Adams, and it’s hard to overstate how great she is here, nailing comedic timing and dramatic beats with precision. It’s one of Adams’ best performances in a career full of them, messy and feral and unwieldy, just like night beach himself.

night beach Had its premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. The film is 98 minutes long and rated for language and some sexuality. It will be released in US. it. Cinemas on December 6.