Based on the bestseller by Freida McFadden, The Housemaid is a highly effective, psychological thriller that should satisfy fans of the genre especially with its twists and turns.
Millie (Sydney Sweeney) is hired by Nina (Amanda Seyfried) as a live-in housemaid for her well-to-do family which includes her wealthy, handsome husband, Andrew, and their daughter, Cece. All seems blissful until she notices erratic and troubling behavior from Nina which escalates alarmingly and threatens to not only expose Millie’s hidden past but endanger her well-being and sanity. However, this is just the beginning of a horrible truth that pushes Millie to her absolute breaking point.
The story begins with a standard setup but leads to unfamiliar territory. Besides a sense of dysfunction in Nina’s family, there is an amusing contrast between Millie and the wealthy, female neighbors who take turns gossiping about Nina’s past. There are clues hinting that something is amiss and a slow build to something ominous and foreboding. The film makes use of expectations and cleverly misdirects the audience with some surprises (Hitchcock would approve) that cleverly utilize familiar cinematic tropes especially near the end. To say more would spoil a smart, harrowing tale with a well-constructed narrative that morphs into a stunning reveal. There are aspects to the plot that center on female empowerment and echo Promising Young Woman for good reason. (A couple scenes are graphic and push towards the fringe of horror.)
With
strong performances from both Sweeney
(who excels here) and Seyfried, and assured direction from director Paul
Feig (Bridesmaids, Arrested Development) who demonstrates
his versatility outside the comedy genre, this is a film that delivers the
goods with shocking turns and a satisfying ending that ties up loose ends. A welcome, satisfying diversion.
****
of ***** stars
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