THE HOUSEMAID

US, 2025, 131 minutes, Colour.

Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar, Michele Morrone, Indiana Elle, Elizabeth Perkins.

Directed by Paul Feig.

Movie thriller fans may remember that titles which included maid or housemaid usually had sinister goings-on in the household. And audiences venturing out to see this version of the housemaid will not be entirely wrong. But, not in the way they might have expected.

The film opens with a young woman, Millie (Sydney Sweeney, anyone but You, Christie, Immaculate), driving up to a lavish mansion outside New York City for an interview with the lady of the house, Nina (Amanda Seyfried). Millie is warmly, exaggeratedly, made welcome, instantly hired, accommodation in the house, care for Nina’s daughter, anticipation of meeting her successful husband, Andrew. So, the opposite of sinister.

But…, the next day…

Millie really needs the job. She is on parole from a long sentence (explained later in the film), and is at pains to do the best she can. But, of course, from day to day, it is not enough, and it is Nina who is the character with the bizarre behaviour. Her charming husband, Andrew (Brandon Sklear) tries to support Milly. There is a complication in  Nina’s little daughter obviously disliking Millie.

Just as the audience thinks the film is going in a relentlessly predictable direction, it certainly doesn’t!, Into the expected, there are all kinds of developments, some flashbacks, some past explanations, some twists and revelations.

Which means, of course, that any review has to stop any plot indications at this moment – except to warn audiences to expect the unexpected.

The film offers two tour-de-force performances by the two leading actresses. Brandon Sklenar is tall dark and handsome – and the object of envious gossip by the affluent mothers of the local PTA. Elizabeth Perkins has a cameo role as his haughtiest and most demanding of mothers.

As it turns out, The housemaid is a much more interesting and involving thriller than we might have anticipated.

1. The title and expectations? The focus on the maid, the focus on the house, the owners?
2. The mansion, the exteriors and the grounds, the vast interiors, furnishings…? The contrast with the parole office? The ballet school, the shops, the Broadway theatre, the lavish hotel? The funeral ceremony? The atmosphere for this kind of thriller? Atmospheric score?
3. Audience expectations, the role of the maid, the onus? The predictability of the plot development? The sudden twist, unpredictable? And the building up of twists and explanations? The climax and the solution?
4. The focus on Millie, her arrival, the car, the mansion and the grounds, the interview with the Nina, her exuberance, instantly hiring her, the tour of the house, introduction to her daughter, the upstairs room and the need of the window opening, the deadbolt and a key? The arrival of Andrew? The visit of his stern mother? And the opening sequences reinterpreted in the light of later explanations?
5. Millie, revelation of the parole, the interviews, her need for a job, the accommodation, staying with a family? The later revelation of her crime, the man attacking the student, her killing him? The sentence and her serving it? Her behaviour in the house, cleaning, cooking, the hostility of the young daughter, the gradual revelation of Nina and her temperament, harsh commands, contradictory commands? Writing her journal?
6. Andrew, his taking her side, comforting her, the expenses and his repayment? Nina giving her the lavish clothes? Again in the light of later explanations?
7. Nina, her erratic behaviour, moods, angers, devotion to her daughter, the treatment of Millie, picking up her daughter, the clothes, the possibility firing, Millie cleaning, Nina relenting, the support of Andrew? Nina and the notes for her speech, accusing Millie and throwing them out, the meeting with the mothers and their gossip, their liking Andrew? Millie hearing everything?
8. Nina, being away with her daughter, the booking for the theatre, the hotel, Andrew persuading Millie to go, the sexual encounter? The phone, the fact that Nina was seeing everything? Her return, Andrew ordering her to leave? Her storming away?
9. Nina, meeting with her daughter, composing of the letter for her to read, the narration and the new interpretation of what had happened, the flashbacks, her pregnancy, at the office, the humiliation, Andrew supporting her, the relationship, the wedding, Andrew’s mother? The issue of pregnancies, Andrew’s wish, the buildup to the clashes between them, a different interpretation of what had happened, the issue of her hair and the colour roots, his locking her in the attic, the transformation of his character, abusive, self-centred, the demand for the hairs and follicles, making Nina do it again, her desperation?
10. The revelation of Nina, knowing all about Millie, the plan,? Her intentions?
11. Millie, Andrew supporting her, the issue of the crockery, his mother, the bonding between them? Her infatuation with Andrew?
12. Andrew turning on Millie, locking her in the attic, the same treatment as for Nina, his demand about cutting herself? Doing it? The gardener at the door, Millie dropping the plates, packing, not washing the pieces, the bag, Andrew giving her the piece to cut herself?
13. His unpleasant character, the taunts, self-centred? Millie having the knife, her attack on him, locking him in? Her demand, the issue of the front tooth and his charm for women, the pliers, pulling it out?
14. Nina, coming back, to rescue Millie, for the truth? Her mistake, unlocking the door, Andrew escaping, pushing Nina down the stairs, the meeting of the two women, their collaborating, Nina urging Millie to run, the confrontation of Andrew, pushing him over the banister, his death? The help of the gardener to tidy the situation?
15. The police, the interrogation of Nina, her plausible story, the police officer and the story of her sister, Andrew destroying the sister, the policewoman and the wound in the neck, creating a plausible accidental scenario?
16. The funeral, Andrew’s mother, her speech about teeth, the mothers and their commentary and gossip?
17. Millie, at the funeral, Nina and her daughter leaving, Millie applying for the job, needing giving the recommendation? The new wife talking about difficulties with her husband…, The knife…?