The Housemaid Review: Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried Make This Thriller Sing

The Housemaid is a thrilling adaptation that sweeps you up in its mystery.

While the holiday season is sure to be dominated by conversations of James Cameron’s third Avatar film, one of the buzziest thriller novels of the past five years is receiving the big screen treatment as proper counterprogramming to the Na’vi. ‘The Housemaid’, based on Freida McFadden’s hit thriller novel, is being brought to life by two big stars and a director with experience in this very genre.

Paul Feig is no stranger to thriller adaptations with two strong female leads, and the director’s talents allowed ‘A Simple Favor’ to walk so ‘The Housemaid’ could run. The novel comes to life with two strong performances from Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, sure to satisfy fans of the book.

Sweeney stars as Millie, a woman with a troubled past who becomes a live-in maid for the wealthy Winchester family. Millie desperately needs to keep this job, but it’s made even more difficult by Nina Winchester’s (Seyfried) erratic behavior. Nina’s husband, Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), is much more forgiving and approachable, but it’s clear there’s more going on with the Winchester family than meets the eye.

I have not read the novel on which the film is based, which allowed me to experience the twists of the mystery in real time. There was a consistent tension and anxiety as I tried to figure out exactly what was going on here, even as the story seemed slightly stretched at times. Regardless, there were enough breadcrumbs throughout that had me fully invested and glued to my seat.

Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried Play a Dangerous Game

Sydney Sweeney is a performer whose strong opinions draw strong opinions, but she’s a great fit for the film version of Millie. She’s properly able to portray Millie’s desperation, but also confidently goes head-to-head with Seyfried’s more unstable Nina.

Seyfried is unsurprisingly the standout, and her talents are on full display here. Nina can be just as frightening as she is charming. Seyfried can turn a winning smile into a smirk that makes audiences squirm in their seats. Sklenar, familiar with this genre, is given more depth as Andrew. He understands his wife’s mood swings yet remains charming when interacting with Millie.

I can’t speak to the novel’s tone or how seriously it may or may not take itself, but at times, the performances dip their toes into campiness, and it totally works. The film allows the audience to laugh when the story takes some twists, despite the high tension.

Verdict

‘The Housemaid’ delivers a satisfying adaptation that hits the mark for fans. Despite minor pacing flaws, strong performances, and a gripping mystery, it stands out as an entertaining thriller.

In theaters December 19th.

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