The Housemaid

The Housemaid
Starring Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar, Indiana Elle
Directed by Paul Feig

We all wear masks that disguise who we really are, and that's no different for the wealthy and elite. They live in lavish mansions, drive fancy cars, and wear the best designer dresses, and from the outside looking in it seems they have it all - but once the facade drops, you realize that things aren't always what they seem to be. Conversely, people who are desperate to pull themselves out of the depths they find themselves in will oftentimes consent to living in negative spaces as opposed to going back to where they came from, having to don their own mask of happiness while underneath they're emotionally crushed. Thus is the story of "The Housemaid," a movie that teetered on the edge of melodrama but offered exemplary performances and a pulled back story that never allowed itself to become ripe for parody.

Millie Calloway (Sydney Sweeney) is desperately looking for a job, and also somewhere to live, as she's confined to living in her car after a youthful event that landed her in prison for ten years, then five years probation. She thinks she hit the jackpot when she's hired as a live-in housemaid for wealthy socialite Nina Winchester (Amanda Seyfriend), her husband Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), and their young daughter Cece (Indiana Elle). While Nina came forth as a sweet, caring, nurturing mother and wife, Millie soon sees her other side - erratic, manic, schizophrenic. She turns her ire to Millie, thinking she's after her husband, while Andrew acts as a savior who protects Millie, and although Millie wants to quit, she can't find herself to because of her situation. As tensions escalate, Millie soon learns that if she doesn't leave, her very life could be at risk.

Going into "The Housemaid," I wasn't really expecting much. Director Paul Feig has had a strange go at it, directing classic comedies like "Bridesmaids" and "Spy" but also melodramas "A Simple Favor" and its sequel, also released in 2025. He balances comedy and drama really well, but when he hits the dramatic side it sometimes goes over the top. Not to mention Sydney Sweeney's track record this year, along with her darker political views and controversies that've haunted her, and I was prepared for an over two-hour slog that dragged on. Instead, I got a continually tense, suspenseful drama that took numerous twists and turns that not only made sense, but didn't diminish the reality of the story. While Sweeney gave a decent performance, it was Amanda Seyfried who gives an awards-worthy performance and the best of her career.

The concept seems something out of a novel (which makes sense, since the movie is based on a 2022 novel by Freida McFadden): a young, attractive housemaid takes a live-in job at a wealthy home, where the wife gives appearances of having it all together but is falling apart behind the scenes, and a long-suffering husband who grows far too close to the aforementioned housemaid. Something like this screams melodrama, ripe for parody, and diving too deep into the cheesy cliches that it would be doomed to obscurity. Yet Feig manages to wrangle it in and keep it on the more realistic side, even though the ending goes a bit over the rails, it does so in an ingenious, crowd-pleasing way. People in the theater were reacting to what was happening on screen in ways I haven't seen in awhile, and I was also surprised by how much I was involved in the character's stories.

Sydney Sweeney hasn't had a good 2025, with her last three outings met with barely a whisper. "Americana," "Eden," and "Christy" came and went with little to no fanfare (especially "Christy," becoming one of the worst wide-release movies ever). She drew controversy by appearing in ads for American Eagle under the campaign: "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans," drawing comparisons to Nazi-style propaganda about blonde haired, blue eyed people having the best genes. She repeatedly doubled down on the controversy, and many believed it was the end of a career that just started. However, the films mentioned previously were all subpar at best, never fully advertised, and didn't really resonate with audiences because no one knew they existed. "The Housemaid" was heavily advertised, and become a modest hit for Sweeney. She herself does an admirable job, even though she sleepwalks through the first half, she emerges as a strong character in the latter, becoming a force all her own.

Amanda Seyfried, however, steals the show. When we first meet Nina, she's the loving housewife and mother, completely calm and self-assured. Yet after Millie moves in, we see her true self when she frantically searches for notes for an upcoming PTA meeting, and wildly blames Millie for throwing them away. She constantly berates and gaslights Millie, giving her assignments then claiming she never did, and essentially making her life a living hell. Seyfried obviously cherishes this role, something totally opposite from what we've seen of her before, and is an absolute force of nature.

Brandon Sklenar rounds out this threesome as the long-suffering Andrew, a man seen as a saint for tending and dealing with Nina's frequent outbursts. He's the knight in shining armor, but also someone who doesn't feel the affection he thinks he deserves, being more a babysitter for Nina than a husband. Along comes young, innocent Millie, and while the movie isn't a melodrama, you can see where things end up. Sklenar as well gives a great, multi-faceted performance that keeps you intrigued to the very end.

More like "Gone Girl" than the numerous telenovelas you see on television on a weekend afternoon, "The Housemaid" provides numerous twists and turns that will keep you riveted, with fantastic, grounded performances that will also keep you on the edge of your seat with the continued suspense.

The Score: A+