The psychological thriller The Housemaid came out in mid-December and grabbed the attention of consumers because of its star-studded cast, including Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney.
The film follows Millie (Sydney Sweeney), a young woman living in her car and on parole. She applies for a housemaid position working for the wealthy Nina Winchester (Amanda Seyfried) and her family, consisting of her perfect husband Andrew and spoiled daughter Cece. As Millie settles into her new role, she discovers that nothing is as it seems and everybody, even herself, has secrets.
The film felt unintentionally campy, as it couldn’t decide whether to go full thriller or provide something more fun like A Simple Favor, which was also produced by Paul Feig. The result was a halfhearted depiction of both genres, squandering a lot of the movie’s potential. Despite this, it still had intense and funny moments, leaning heavily on action scenes towards the end.
The standout star of the film was Amanda Seyfried’s portrayal of Nina Winchester, who nailed Nina’s wacky mood swings and ominous presence. Her role starkly contrasted her past characters, highlighting the range and skill she possesses as an actress. Sydney Sweeny and Brandon Sklenar (Andrew Winchester) also added to the film, and they both got to showcase their abilities as the film picked up toward the end.
The ending was slightly unrealistic, but still wrapped up the story satisfyingly. Many characters, like Enzo, the gardener, and Cece, the daughter, weren’t properly fleshed out. This was probably because the film was a book adaptation, causing many of the original complexities to be lost. Another adaptation limitation was the loss of Millie’s internal dialogue, which many readers considered the highlight of the book.
Core themes of this movie, including control, appearances, class dynamics and a surprising feminist twist, helped anchor the plot. It successfully played into tropes like the crazy wife, the bratty child and the damsel in distress before subverting those expectations.
Overall, the movie was a solid 7.5/10. Definitely enjoyable, but not enough to rewatch, especially because the twist is what made it so entertaining. Casual fans of thriller and drama should watch it, but beware of the highly gory scenes.
Lionsgate has greenlit a sequel, which will follow Millie’s journey in book two of the trilogy. Sadly, Amanda Seyfried’s character is not expected to have a major role, so her impressive addition to the movie will be lost. Production will begin sometime in 2026, capitalizing on The Housemaid’s strong box office performance.
