SPOILER-FREE PLOT SUMMARY
Millie Calloway (played by Sydney Sweeney) desperately needs a job to help absolve her mysterious, troubled past. That search leads her to the house of Nina Winchester (Amanda Seyfried) who’s looking for a live-in housekeeper to keep up with her husband Andrew (Brandon Sklenar) and daughter Cecelia (Indiana Elle, in her feature film debut). Shortly after being hired, the sweet wife and mother that interviewed Millie has turned into a disturbed and schizophrenic woman whose delusions and manic episodes cause chaos within the family. Andrew enables Nina by covering for her and constantly apologizing on her behalf. Millie, desperate to keep her job, finds the strength to stick around based on Andrew’s strength for enduring all of this on a daily basis. Nina apologizes to Millie and asks her to book a much-needed romantic date night for her and her husband but, when Millie follows through on what she was told, Nina accuses her of mixing up the dates because she’s scheduled to take Cecelia on a trip that weekend. Baffled, Millie pleads her case to Andrew who, as to not waste the non-refundable tickets, ends up inviting her to go instead. The two find a connection but things start to unravel.
SPOILER-FREE REVIEW
Plain and simple, this is Seyfried’s movie. This may be a popcorn flick that falls under the “erotic thriller” genre and, therefore, won’t get any points in the “artsy” category but Seyfried brings a ferocious power and an insane amount of range to the screen, fueling not only the story but the eventual twist. So much so that she might just make it onto my Music City Film Critic’s Association end-of-year ballot for Best Supporting Actress.
Unlike in DROP, Sklenar gets to show his acting range in THE HOUSEMAID. He’s tall, dark, handsome, endearing and supportive before gradually adding other emotions as the film goes along.
And then there’s Sweeney. She’s completely invested in the role and she’s a joy to watch on screen but the Millie character calls for a more nuanced performance. The movie would’ve been better served had they cast a Jennifer Lawrence or Zendaya or Sadie Sink instead of just becoming mesmerized by the stardom that is Sweeney. Again, she was fine, but they could’ve made a better choice.
If you’re a fan of Freida McFadden’s 2022 book of the same name, you’re going to prefer the original work. If you’re unfamiliar, however, THE HOUSEMAID is just a damn good time at the theater. Seyfried alone is worth the price of admission.
JKG SCORE: 7.0
Untitled Film Project 