The Housemaid (MA) – 131 minutes

A twisted, narcissistic tale, The Housemaid is a tense psychological thriller, one of the better examples of the genre in a domestic setting.

Millie Winchester (Sydney Sweeney) is down, but not yet out.

She has just been released from jail and is living rough in a very old car that has seen far better days.

Having constructed an attractive back story, she is mighty surprised when she is offered a job as a housemaid at a beautiful home by Nina (Amanda Seyfried). 

Nina, who has a young daughter, Cecilia (Indiana Elle), lives an affluent life thanks to her handsome IT husband, Andrew (Brandon Sklenar).

For Millie, who will do the cleaning along with some cooking and childcare duties, it seems like a dream come true … and Nina appears particularly amenable.

In fact, she also has in her employment a mysterious groundsman, Enzo (Michele Marrone).

Only, in no time, that dream becomes a nightmare because Nina turns out to be quite the ogre – demanding, accusatory and disturbed.

In fact, time and again, she has been institutionalised.

Millie would dearly love to leave, but she can’t because under the conditions of her parole, she needs steady work and a place to live.

Fortunately, she grows ever closer to Andrew, who seems level-headed and understanding.

But let’s just say that not all first impressions are accurate.

With a screenplay by Rebecca Sonnenshine, The Housemaid is based upon a best-selling 2022 book of the same name by Freida McFadden.

The novel has since been translated into 45 languages and sold upwards of 3.5 million copies.

It is a story of fear and being trapped.

Notably, the narrative arc changes direction once and then again, providing more thrills as a result.

It is the unease and the unhinged that gives the movie its bite.

There is the portent of danger throughout.

Of course, as referenced amongst the two women, one has been in and out of psychiatric institutions and the other has spent a long time in prison.

Sydney Sweeney makes a good fist of the parolee trying to reestablish a life on the outside. She saves her best characterisation and lines for late in the piece.

Amanda Seyfried gives voice to a woman who has been put through the mill and appears to pivot on a dime, from charming to carping and caustic.

Brandon Sklenar turns on the charm as the highly desirable stud with the intoxicating smile and chiselled bod.

Director Paul Feig continues to ratchet up the tension.

Often, these types of films are let down by a totally preposterous ending that pushes boundaries and then some.

I didn’t feel that way about The Housemaid, in which the payoff comes in the second half.

In fact, I was highly invested in the wild ride, which I found entertaining and engaging.

Comeuppance can come in many and varied forms, and the filmmakers have made it count here.

The Housemaid scores a 7½ out of 10.