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.
What is The Housemaid about?
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.
The Housemaid uses an outrageous but entertaining twist to keep audiences hooked
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. Most pulpy thrillers thrive on this formula, including The Voyeurs, which is yet another engaging Sweeney-starrer. The Housemaid makes good use of this tonal shift, allowing characters like Nina to unravel more layers of her complex, inconsistent behavior.
Even before the film hones in on the truth, The Housemaid is smart enough to keep us guessing. Nina’s behavior (which often encroaches on horror movie territory) is backed up by whispers from her high-society friends and anecdotes from other house staff. Andrew’s perspective is also crucial here; he comes across as a doting husband and father, heartbroken that his wife is no longer the person he fell in love with. Millie’s escalating attraction to Andrew fuels these confusing rumors, but we’re often given glimpses of a truth we’re not yet privy to.
What The Housemaid does accomplish is a sense of dramatic climax that is significantly toned down in the book. “There’s things that work in the book that are really satisfying, but on the big screen you always want more,” Feig told The Hollywood Reporter to explain his need to up the ante. Feig also uses perspective shifts to tie disparate clues together, and Seyfried’s standout performance contains subtle hints for eagle-eyed audiences to decipher. Things turn sleazy when they need to, without diving into the pure camp of genre entries like Body Double (1984) or Wild Things (1998).
If you’ve recently watched Verity in theaters or happen to like entertaining psychological thrillers with a pulpy edge, The Housemaid is a solid choice. This is no Gone Girl, but taut atmosphere and pacing make the film feel more than serviceable.
The Housemaid is streaming on HBO Max.