Despite its overwhelming commercial success, Freida McFadden’s psychological thriller, The Housemaid, is far from a perfect read. Trope-heavy and full of obvious contrivances, The Housemaid sets up a tense domestic thriller premise that is meant to be consumed as a fast-paced popcorn novel. This, however, sets the stage for a pulpy screen adaptation, one that mimics the conventions of a lurid thriller with some decent character writing to round things out.
Bridesmaids director Paul Feig’s The Housemaid lives up to these expectations. Formulaic but utterly entertaining, the film features Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried as characters that seem to be pitted against each other. The Housemaid is a great fit for anyone who likes erotic thrillers of the Verity variety, wherein the plot features some sort of unexpected twist to keep things interesting.
If you’ve been meaning to watch The Housemaid from the comfort of your home, the film is now available to stream on HBO Max. Recently paroled Millie (Sweeney) tries to put her past behind her by working as a live-in maid for Nina (Seyfried), who lives with her husband, Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), and daughter, Cece (Indiana Elle). Nina needs help because she is pregnant, and Millie needs to maintain a lawful employment status, making the arrangement feasible at first.
Nina’s suburban mansion in Great Neck, Long Island, is opulent to the point of appearing gaudy, giving Millie all the more reason to commit to the job seriously. Unfortunately, things start to feel off after some time. Millie is asked to stay in an attic bedroom that locks from the outside, and Nina starts making veiled threats, asking Millie to stay away from her husband.
Things escalate quickly, going from mild accusations to full-blown breakdowns that make Millie feel horribly trapped inside a ridiculously spacious mansion. The Housemaid toys with our expectations as it builds its suspense, allowing us to immerse ourselves in the minute details of Nina and Millie’s frayed dynamic. Is Nina truly troubled like everyone wants us to believe, or is there a grander conspiracy at play here?
Although Nina’s erratic behavior is a cause for genuine concern, Millie and Andrew are drawn closer amid this chaos, leading to the start of a complicated relationship that might change everything we know about these characters. Unlike the source material, The Housemaid takes itself a bit too seriously. That, however, doesn’t get in the way of the curveballs that Feig throws at us after the shocking midway twist is revealed.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
