The film follows Millie, a troubled young woman who takes up a job as a housemaid for a wealthy family, only to realize that something is deeply off inside the house. As secrets unravel and power dynamics shift, the story leans into psychological manipulation, deception, and identity, slowly revealing who is really in control.
While the film stays faithful to the basic structure of the book, it feels surprisingly flat in terms of motivation. The biggest issue is the lack of a clear directorial voice. The movie feels templated, like a checklist version of a psychological thriller rather than something with a distinct tone or personality. It tries to be eerie and unsettling, but never fully commits, resulting in an awkward, oddly hollow atmosphere. But that’s also a good point at times, as it kept me hooked and interested in knowing where the story would take me next.
The performances are solid across the board, but the writing doesn’t give the characters enough depth to fully land. Brandon Sklenar’s Andrew, in particular, suffers from underdeveloped motivation. His actions could have added emotional weight and complexity, but without proper build-up, they come across as vague and uninteresting rather than disturbingly layered because right here, we might have one of the best villains of the year… but without a clear motivation, he just ends up looking two-dimensional.
The film gives off low-key “Gone Girl”-like vibes, especially with its second-half twist. However, unlike “Gone Girl,” this film doesn’t dig deep enough into its characters’ psychology.
I’ve thought the most about Nina (Amanda Seyfried), and at first, I was confused whether she was being pretentious or overly calculated, but the fact that her reaction was overly present actually helped the film have its hook. Would I’ve loved a pattern that I could later trace back? Yes. But that doesn’t stop me from enjoying the film.
Sydney Sweeney is where the film finally finds some momentum. Her character feels a bit clueless in the first half, even performance-wise, but she truly picks up in the second. That’s when the story starts moving, and things finally fall into place. The latter portion is engaging and more confident, and the ending is fairly satisfying in terms of where the characters end up.
Michele Morrone’s Enzo was more of a cameo than a fully realised character. His presence was minimal here, though readers of the book will know he plays a much larger role in the sequel.
Overall, the movie never really hits the high notes except for the second half stunts, but it also never collapses. It is an enjoyable watch but it stays on the surface, delivering a very straightforward adaptation without diving in deeper.
For viewers who don’t watch many thrillers, this can be a decent one-time watch. But if you’re familiar with the genre, most of it feels predictable.
“The Housemaid” is enjoyable but shallow. With a more tonally distinct director and stronger character motivations, it could have been far more unsettling and memorable. As it stands, it’s watchable, but it doesn’t quite hit the right notes.
