Bitch

A husband is forced to confront his failings when his spouse starts behaving like a dog in this initially outlandish but ultimately sincere satire from Scottish writer/director Marianna Palka. Set in the American suburbs, Palka stars as a put-upon housewife who attempts suicide at the outset - an act that goes unnoticed - and, before long, she's gone "barking" mad. Although the jumping-off point is female domestic enslavement, what unfolds is a picture of masculinity in crisis, as her feckless adulterer husband (Jason Ritter) is left high and dry. Ritter is a good fit for a role which takes him from douche bag to contrite dad. As an actress, Palka is the very definition of game, while her freewheeling and intimate directorial style captures the chaos at close quarters, and she does well to stretch what seems like a novelty concept fruitfully to feature-length. It's a film with plenty to say; what will be juicily provocative for some may feel unsubtle to others, but it ties things up a little too neatly with a conclusion that lacks bite.