A scene from 'The Housemaid'

The Housemaid review: A thriller that keeps everyone guessing

‘The Housemaid’ adapts a novel about two women who are nearly destroyed by the many secrets they each keep.

Everyone has secrets. They’re the things we hide about ourselves because we’re afraid of other people’s judgement or rejection. But just because someone feels they need to conceal something doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. Often, it’s more of a reflection of those they’re hiding from rather than what they’re hiding. Then again, no one’s rushing to air the skeletons in their closet — real or metaphorical — either. The Housemaid is bursting with secrets and everyone is straining to stay tight lipped.

Millie (Sydney Sweeney) desperately needs a job and a place to live. Nina (Amanda Seyfried) needs a live-in housemaid to help maintain her immaculate home and care for her daughter (Indiana Elle). It’s the perfect match. Of course, the key detail Millie omits from her resume is she’s on parole following her early release from prison. This secret puts her at Nina’s mercy. Unfortunately, every day is a challenge when working for someone experiencing drastic mood swings. Luckily, Nina’s saintly husband, Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), is always ready to step in and act as mediator. But the worse it becomes, it’s impossible not to wonder if Nina is actively sabotaging Millie — even if she can’t figure out why she’d want to.

At the post-screening Q&A, director Paul Feig noted he approaches genre films similarly. Whether he’s making a thriller or comedy, he wants to elicit a response from audiences. This movie adeptly draws gasps when the unexpected happens, cringes during unpleasant scenes and shouts of “No!” when characters are on the brink of a monumental mistake. Audiences become deeply engrossed in Millie and Nina’s rollercoaster of a relationship. Each time Nina becomes irrationally neurotic, audiences pity Millie’s impossible situation.

Even though this scenario is extreme, unreasonable bosses are very relatable. This essential connection to the narrative quickly allies viewers with Millie. Meanwhile, Nina keeps everyone on their toes by always doing the unexpected. Every encounter with the housewife is a roll of the dice since there’s no way of knowing which version of her you’re getting until it’s potentially too late.

The film is based on Freida McFadden’s novel of the same name. However, if you’re not already familiar with the source material, it’s best to go into this movie cold. There are hints sprinkled throughout the picture that allude to the narrative’s direction. As a result, it’s not entirely unpredictable. But it’s still incredibly fun to watch the game of cat and mouse unfold, all while trying to decide who’s the predator and who’s the prey.

Much of the film’s success must be accredited to the excellent cast. A movie with this many secrets requires layered performances. It all has to be on the screen, whether audiences realize it or not. That’s why, Feig points out, the picture plays very differently on a second watch. At that time, audiences can recognize and appreciate all the small details that lacked meaning the first time around.

Feig remarked that he’s primarily interested in making films about three-dimensional women because there aren’t enough of them. Notably, he doesn’t like the term “strong women” because that too flattens their personalities. Here, Feig once again unquestionably delivers a story featuring complex characters and women audiences won’t quickly forget.

This psychological thriller keeps viewers on the edge of their seat as it peels away the layers of a complicated and potentially deadly onion.

Director: Paul Feig
Starring: Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar

Similar Posts

  • Junk World review: TIFF 2025

    ‘Junk World’ is a striking stop-animation prequel that time travels through a post-apocalyptic world populated by genetic mutations.

  • Review: ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2’ is awesome like your fave mixtape (Includes first-hand account)

    Taking a chance on a lesser known Marvel property paid off in spades a few years ago when the studio introduced mass audiences to the Guardians of the Galaxy. A flawless cast endeared viewers to these previously unfamiliar characters and the old school soundtrack had them grooving in their seats, all while writer/director James Gunn‘s script entertained, engaged and left everyone wanting more. With the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, their calls have been answered with glorious humour, action and dancing.

  • Review: ‘Ammonite’ leaves its rose-coloured glasses at the door (Includes first-hand account)

    In an age where homosexuality wasn’t acknowledged, coming to terms with one’s needs and desires was difficult. At the same time, at least for women, it could be veiled as a very close friendship that people were less likely to question. Recently, a number of films have highlighted historical tales of female relationships that existed under these circumstances, and were simultaneously strained by the need to keep up appearances and abide by social norms. In Ammonite, two women are reborn via their love for each other, even though their affair begins with an expiry date.

  • Review: ‘Annabelle Comes Home’ is a practised source of dread (Includes first-hand account)

    While some people love and collect vintage porcelain-faced dolls, others rightfully find them incredibly creepy. They inherently seem to have a certain level of sadness or malice attached to them. Long before Chucky took to the screen, people were suspicious of children’s toys. The Annabelle doll had many homes, but it all started when a grieving family adopted her as their surrogate and opened the door to a malevolent demon who terrorized them and all future owners. Eventually paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren, were able to contain the evil. In Annabelle Comes Home, a girl learns the meaning of the old adage, “Curiosity killed the cat.”

  • Review: ‘Tangerine’ is about more than a commonplace camera (Includes first-hand account)

    There was a trend in ‘90s and early 2000s cinema to build narratives around provocative characters without a specific or traditional story attached. The film simply chronicled a day in their lives in which they were forced to manage a certain uncommon situation or as they went about their daily routine, introducing viewers to other fascinating personalities and lifestyles. They often unfolded amongst society’s disadvantaged, and were the bread-and-butter of indie filmmakers. Tangerine revisits this story structure with style and energy while being shot entirely on the iPhone 5S.