The Housemaid

Nina (Amanda Seyfried) hires Millie (Sydney Sweeney) as live-in help in The Housemaid (Distributed by Lionsgate)

The Housemaid is a tawdry, sexy, mystery thriller about the dark secrets lurking underneath the veneer of luxury. Based on the bestselling 2022 novel by Freida McFadden, it is not too dissimilar from many, many, other stories centered on outwardly perfect families hiding horrors. It lingers on the opulence, looking at it from the perspective of a desperate outsider, before twisting the proverbial knife to show that beauty isn’t always what it seems. I guessed that twist (well, enough of it, anyway) early on in the book. I suspect moviegoers, especially those familiar with the genre, will probably have the same experience. It doesn’t ruin it.

While the book is overly written, with clunky dialogue, the plotting is fine. It is an exciting, propulsive, read, despite not being all that good. The story sort of works, as long as you don’t think about it too hard. It is like someone read “Gone Girl” and decided to use the same themes to say nothing.

Regardless, I was very curious to see how it would be adapted. Director Paul Feig previously made the delightful dark/comedy/thriller A Simple Favor, which swims in comparable waters, so he knows his way around this genre. He does some interesting things with The Housemaid. It differs from the source material in several, much more cinematic, ways. Unfortunately, the first section still overexplains a lot, with awkward exposition, making its 125-minute run time (minus the end credits) drag a bit. It is well-cast, pretty and a little too serious, considering how silly the plot is. It may not be completely faithful, but it is an accurate representation of the book.

Millie, sleeping in her car, gets a job as the live-in housemaid for the well-respected Winchester family. She will be responsible for cooking, cleaning, running errands and, occasionally, looking after their daughter. Millie can’t believe she got so lucky: a great place to stay, a steady paycheck and the husband, Andrew, is kind and handsome. Then there is her boss, Nina, an inconsistent monster who seems determined to make Millie’s life a living hell.

There are four key things any adaptation of The Housemaid needed to get right. One is location and the other three are the casting of Millie, Nina and Andrew. Three out of four ain’t bad.

Nina and Andrew (Brandon Sklenar)

The Winchester house is striking. There is a suitably lovely blandness to the kitchen and dining areas. Its long staircases, including the one leading to Millie’s creepy attic bedroom, practically scream out to be places where something terrible is going to happen. The house is used effectively, even if most of the movie is spent in the kitchen or Millie’s room. It feels like a real space, with memories and menace. Feig goes easy on the foreshadowing, at least when it comes to shot choice, keeping some of the surprises hidden until it is time.

I know she is a somewhat divisive figure, but they nailed it by casting Sydney Sweeney as Millie. Millie is beautiful, self-conscious and just wants an opportunity to start over. Sweeney brings a slightly amused, desperate romanticism that is perfect for the character.

Amanda Seyfried is not who I pictured as Nina, however, she is a skilled actress who takes a one-note role and supplies a depth that makes the twist impactful. Nina wants to be the ideal wife/mother and seems to have hired Millie to be a punching bag for her stress. Nina wasn’t written well originally. The screenplay can’t quite salvage her, yet Seyfried does a good job of making her make sense.

Then there is Andrew. He is supposed to be handsome and, if that is all that mattered, Brandon Sklenar is made for it. Besides being classically good-looking, Sklenar brings nothing to the table. His total lack of charisma makes him a real weak point for the movie. It is difficult to see what one of these women see in him, let alone both. Okay, looks and money, though the implication is that he is very charming. There are hundreds of actors who could have handled the assignment far better than Sklenar.

The Housemaid does what it sets out to do. It adapts a flawed, yet popular, novel and improves upon it, preserving the positives and trying to cover for the negatives. It is overlong and hammers on the same plot points way too many times. It is also fun to watch, mixing wish-fulfillment with mystery and suspense. If you aren’t in the mood for a crowd-pleaser, spectacle or awards-bait, you could certainly do worse than some entertaining trash.

3¼ out of 5

Cast:

Sydney Sweeney as Millie Calloway

Amanda Seyfried as Nina Winchester

Brandon Sklenar as Andrew Winchester

Indiana Elle as Cece Winchester

Elizabeth Perkins as Mrs. Winchester

Directed by Paul Feig

Screenplay by Rebecca Sonnenshine