Paul Feig takes a dark turn with this unsettling thriller adaptation starring Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney.
Although the film doesn’t premiere until Dec. 19, Regal Theatres hosted an early screening of The Housemaid for book club members, sweepstakes winners, bloggers, and journalists. The film—originally a novel by Freida McFadden—is directed by Paul Feig and stars Amanda Seyfried as Nina Winchester and Sidney Sweeney as Millie Calloway, the Housemaid. What initially presents itself as a holiday family film centred on the Winchesters quickly spirals into a torturous, murder-filled series of events delivered with unexpected laughs. One minute, you believe you know what’s going to happen and who is to blame, but the film’s direction takes viewers on a spiral into complete shock.
Millie Calloway, a troubled young woman with a sinister past, is living in her vehicle in New York after recently being released from jail and placed on parole. While attempting to piece her life back together, she comes across an ad seeking a live-in housekeeper for the wealthy Winchesters. Upon arrival, everything appears luxurious, perfect, and normal. Nina Winchester is clean-cut and pearl-clad, yet fun, energetic, and engaging. Despite Millie’s lies about her past, Nina takes a liking to her and offers her the job, inviting her to live in the attic and equipping her with a new cellphone and a key to her door.
The following day, however, Millie wakes to find the kitchen completely trashed. She soon discovers that Nina has done a full 180—the pleasant woman she met the day before is seemingly gone. Yet her warm and charming husband rescues the day, calming his wife’s rage and assuring Millie that everything is okay. However, as Nina’s increasingly threatening emotional outbursts become more frequent, the closeness between Millie and Nina’s husband grows.
The Housemaid’s layers of manipulation will leave audiences wondering just how innocent Millie is and how crazed Nina is. They’ll be on the edge of their seats, questioning the power dynamics between men and women and how those with seemingly perfect lives and wealth can be far from safe and trapped behind closed doors.
Nudity appears in The Housemaid during several intimate scenes. While it contributes to the film’s narrative of sensualism, vulnerability, and shifting power dynamics, some moments go to unnecessary extremes. Nonetheless, the movie remains sexy and thrilling, ultimately feeling inspiring and empowering for women. Director Paul Feig has expressed his commitment to faithfully adapting the book while offering audiences even more, and fans are likely to be pleasantly surprised by the extra layers this holiday season.
Rating: 8/10
