Rating 7/10
Few movies test the limits of ‘why doesn’t she just quit?’ quite like The Housemaid.
Millie Calloway (Sydney Sweeney) has just been released after a decade behind bars and desperately needs a job. She arrives at the sprawling Long Island home for an interview for a live-in housekeeper. Nina Winchester (Amanda Seyfried) is an elegant homemaker, so the position with this wealthy family would seem to be a long shot. Nevertheless, Nina hires her despite Millie’s thin résumé and vague backstory. Millie’s quarters turn out to be an attic bedroom secured with a deadbolt. That’s the first sign that things are amiss. As Millie settles into the household, she meets Nina’s handsome husband, Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), their chilly young daughter, Cece (Indiana Elle), and a leering groundskeeper named Enzo (Michele Morrone). A second chance at life quickly curdles into a nerve-jangling ordeal.
It’s a psychological thriller about class and insecurity that ultimately abandons restraint. Based on the bestselling 2022 novel by Freida McFadden, The Housemaid sits at the crossroads of Hitchcockian domestic suspense like Rebecca and the less sophisticated ’90s fare of Sleeping with the Enemy. This tale of psychological mind games, filtered through a modern lens, grows increasingly implausible and silly. While the story eventually supplies explanations, they arrive far too late to justify what’s come before. For much of the runtime, the audience is left bewildered by the sheer improbability of what’s unfolding onscreen. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Millie Calloway goes toe to toe with Nina Winchester, and the battle of wills between actresses Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried is an absolute delight to behold. Everyone’s behavior is dialed up to eleven. Nina initially welcomes Millie with gentle sweetness, but immediately adopts a cruel persona the second she’s hired. In one histrionic sequence, Nina berates Millie for misplacing PTA speech notes that may never have existed. Later, she orders her to pick up Cece from ballet without providing an address, only for Millie to discover that Cece is actually at a sleepover with a friend. The plot vacillates between menace and absurdity throughout.
The impossibly perfect Andrew has such patience for a wife prone to extreme tantrums that he has earned the nickname “hot saint” among the neighborhood women. That Millie’s thoughts also drift into less professional territory will surprise no one. However, the feeling appears mutual, particularly where he conveniently shows up late at night to watch television with her while Nina is sleeping upstairs. He plops down right next to her on the couch, dressed in a tank top.
Sydney Sweeney continues to build a résumé with the television series Euphoria and the first season of The White Lotus, along with crowd-pleasing hits at the multiplex. Anyone But You and this picture may not chase awards, but they clearly resonate with audiences. Amanda Seyfried has been in the game for a bit longer, with an Oscar nomination already under her belt (Mank) and another potentially on the horizon (The Testament of Ann Lee). These two formidable talents are supported by the less famous but still effective Brandon Sklenar as Andrew, who may be hiding more than meets the eye.
Be prepared for plot reversals, withheld information, and abrupt tonal pivots. The gimmicky narrative can get a bit exasperating. But hey, it’s never dull. The story repeatedly ups the ante, pushing its premise beyond plausibility and into melodrama. By the time the film finally reveals what is truly happening inside the Winchester household, things have shifted from realism to a dark fairy tale.
There’s a lot of campy excess to enjoy here. Director Paul Feig clearly understands the assignment: make talented actors commit to escalating madness. Often dubbed a modern-day George Cukor for his facility with actresses, Feig has traded broad comedy for heightened thrillers as of late. The Housemaid has more in common with A Simple Favor than Bridesmaids or Spy.
The film is stacked with secrets. We know Millie has one right from the get-go, but everyone seems to be guarding a past. The script delights in prolonging those revelations. It asks the audience to accept that Millie will put up with a frankly unendurable amount of torture to maintain employment. Other jobs do exist. You’ll be scratching your head, but the film’s pulpy energy keeps it watchable. The logic may not all add up, but by the end, the spell has been cast. The Housemaid is a ridiculous trip, but I was willing to go along for the ride.
12-23-25