The primal nature of motherhood is explored with a surreal lens in the new film Nightbitch. Mother (Amy Adams) wanders the grocery store with her toddler in the basket at the beginning of the film. A friend runs into her and asks how things are going since leaving her art career to be a stay at home mom. We settle in on Mother who brightly describes the trials and alienation of raising a child with increasing ire. The inner monologue is interrupted as Mother snaps back into reality and answers the question with the expected, trite answer that glosses over the bad. Writer Director Marielle Heller, and co-writer Rachel Yoder, adapt Yoder’s stream of consciousness novel of the same name admirably, retaining its magical, dreamlike feel while infusing the necessary cinematic elements for a rewarding, often hilarious watch.

Mother explains that she generally doesn’t like other moms and hence, she tends to stay to herself. She and her young son go through their day, stopping by the park to ride the swings, watching the trash man pick up trash, and running over to the library for “Book Babies.” Here a mass of toddlers sits on a carpet as a man with a guitar plays a happy tune. Against her preference, Mother is approached by three other moms, Jen (Zoë Chao), Miriam (Mary Holland), Liz (Archana Rajan) and we learn more about Mother and her strong art background. It is clear that Mother loves being a mom, but she feels as if a part of her identity has been forgotten.

Later that night, Father (Scoot McNairy) returns from a week long business trip. We observe the comical disconnect that Father and Mother have in their respective roles. Though well meaning Father can barely function around their child without assistance from Mother. As Father attempts to handle bath time with his son, he can’t help but yell through the house for assistance. It’s a typical joke, but the way it is executed is brilliant.

As life goes on though, Mother’s needs and inner desires and dreams are ignored until a set of strange things begin to occur. At first Mother spots a trio of dogs spying her at the park. Next she begins to have vivid, alarming dreams of transforming into a a dog and running the streets at night. She would ignore this but the pile of dead animals on her doorstep from the neighborhood canines. Mother begins to find her animalistic side in the role of being a mother and her perspective begins to change as her primal senses move to the fore.

Heller is very careful to maintain a set of rules that keeps the narrative on track when we begin to swerve into dream territory. Deftly jumping between reality and magical realism she expertly guides the audience. This allows the film a certain freedom that dances between shocking and fanciful. Adams is an absolute joy to watch as Mother. She has such a disarming way about her as she switches from nurturing mom to animalistic creature with just a slight change in stature and movement. It was also a joy to see Jessica Harper in a key cameo, back on the big screen. She’s wonderful in her bit, reminding us of her talent.

Wonderfully directed by Heller, anchored by another great performance from Adams, Nightbitch is a rewarding tribute to the primal, magical power of women and to motherhood.