Carl Roberts 
“With Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried on top form, The Housemaid delivers an outstanding movie. There are some great twists. It is an almost perfect adaptation of the novel.”
Hitting screens in the United States this coming Friday and in the United Kingdom on Boxing Day comes director Paul Feig’s adaptation of Freida McFadden’s novel, The Housemaid. This movie version of the book features Sydney Sweeney as Millie and Amanda Seyfried as Nina. With fantastic support from Brandon Sklenar as Andrew and Michele Morrone as Enzo, the film could be a box office winner over the Christmas period. But can the film capture the novel’s twists and turns and deliver a clean movie? Or does the film feel dirty and dusty and should be cleaned from movie screens as soon as possible?
PREMISE
A young woman with a troubled past becomes the live-in housemaid for a wealthy family. Their seemingly perfect life unravels when she discovers their household hides dark secrets.
THOUGHTS
Fans of the novel needn’t worry. The film tells the story featured within the pages brilliantly. It captures almost everything that the book contains and more. It is brilliant to see the characters and the events transform to the screen almost effortlessly. The twists and turns are all here, and except for a few changes, one major one, the film is virtually faithful to its source material. For those not familiar with the tale, it is a wonderfully engaging, haunting, and enjoyable psychological thriller that resonates throughout.
The major change to the film comes in the shape of a different climax to the proceedings. Fans of the novel know how it ends, but that is jettisoned here for a more Hollywood ending to the movie. Now, purists may not like this change, as it is totally different to the novel. However, if I may, I found this change to be for the better. Not that I’m knocking the book itself, but I found the novel’s climax to be a let-down and, if I’m honest, slightly dull, not the way I would have concluded the proceedings. Here, we get the typical kind of movie ending, one that actually suits the material better. It doesn’t change the outcome, but it is a more satisfying way of rounding out that particular part of the story.
SYDNEY SWEENEY
Sydney Sweeney as Millie Calloway is perfectly cast. The actress brilliantly brings Millie’s warmth, charm and baggage to the screen. Fans will know what Millie has done and why she takes the housemaid’s position, but we never feel bad for her. We know she’s just trying to do her best, to get back on the straight and narrow. Yes, she’s been hard done by, but she remains strong and determined, despite what is thrown at her. The first part of the film is, in reality, Millie’s story. We learn things about her that resonate: her mental strength in the face of Nina’s constant mood changes and harassment, and her resilience at every step of the story.
Sydney Sweeney is completely believable as the young woman. She grabs the role and runs with it with gusto. By the time we reach the climax, we have seen Millie go through the wringer, discovering the family’s darkest secrets, Nina’s apparent mental illness, and the twisting, surprise revelation that has us biting our nails. By the time we reach the final scene of the film, we want to see more of the actress as Millie. Her natural charm and beauty go hand in hand with her acting prowess. Sydney Sweeney has done a great job in bringing her character to the screen.
AMANDA SEYFRIED
Amanda Seyfried as Nina is equally good. The way the actress takes on such a challenging role at times shows she is a real talent in acting. At first, Nina comes across as gracious, friendly, and down-to-earth, a mother whose standing in the world doesn’t affect her personality. The early scenes between her and Sydney Sweeney are delightful. Instead of being a potential employer speaking to a potential employee, it comes across almost as two good friends having a friendly chat. In these early moments, we begin to believe that this situation will benefit both of them. It will, but not as we expect. Very shortly, Nina will begin to display mental health issues, angrily accusing her new employee of throwing away an important speech. These attacks, accusations, and mood changes are becoming more frequent.
We now move on to the second part of the film, Nina’s story. Suddenly, we are confronted with the truth of everything going on within the Winchester home. And everything begins to become clear. Fans of the book will know what is coming and where the story goes from here. For those unfamiliar with the tale, I’ll stop here. Discussing this vital part of the film will take us into spoiler territory, something I will not do. Suffice to say, nothing is as it seems, turning the tale on its head. Amanda Seyfried excels in her role, making Nina completely believable, delivering a genuinely superb performance. By the climax, we know where we stand.
BRANDON SKLENAR AND MICHELE MORRONE
Brandon Sklenar as Andrew Winchester, Nina’s husband, and Michele Morrone as Enzo, a groundskeeper, are, in reality, playing supporting roles. Of the pair, it is Sklenar as Andrew who gets the most screentime, as he should. Andrew reacts suspiciously when he first encounters Millie. However, he begins to accept her presence in his home, praising her for her work, her attempts to become friends with his and Nina’s daughter, Cecelia (Indiana Elle), and her resilience in the face of Nina’s vile verbal attacks and accusations. He slowly becomes the friend and supporter that Millie needs in the face of this vitriol. But even he can only stomach so much of Nina’s mental decline. Again, by the time we reach the climax, everything becomes clear. Sklenar is always watchable, and proves his worth as a leading man with his performance here.
Michele Morrone gets the short end of the stick, sadly. Or does he? His performance as Enzo, the groundskeeper, is a little too brief at times, appearing one moment and speaking with Millie before vanishing from the film for a while. Enzo seems to be the creepy employee who is hiding behind the corner of the house, staring at the family and Millie, spying on them. He even appears to be hostile towards Millie. But as things begin to reveal themselves, Enzo is suddenly shown in a brand-new light, making it clear exactly where he fits into the twisting story. Morrone makes the most of his limited screentime, appearing as one thing while being something else. Without him, the film would be lacking a vital part it needs to keep the story going.
WRITING AND DIRECTION
The screenplay by Rebecca Sonnenshine, adapting the novel, is a revelation. She has taken the book, examined it, shaped it for the big screen, changed the ending (as I said, for the better), and delivered a winning script in spades. She has crafted a twisting, disturbing, sexy and compelling psychological thriller that keeps the audience on its toes, keeps them constantly guessing as to what exactly is going on before delivering the gut punch we don’t see coming. It is a bold, brutal, and twisted exploration of controlling relationships, as the uncomfortable narrative continues to twist in unnerving directions.
Paul Feig directs the film in a brilliant but surprising way. Generally known for his comedy movies, he takes a stab at the psychological thriller genre and proves he can handle it easily. While the film does contain some humour during the running time, this is a more adult movie from the director, one that he smashes out of the park. This isn’t a laugh-out-loud movie; this is one that we don’t dare take our eyes from, in case we miss something vital. Feig directs his cast to deliver excellent performances, shoots his locations to superb vibrance, making the Winchester home shine gloriously, while not fearing to show the darker aspects that drift through the film. Feig has delivered a superb film, one that deserves to be seen in theaters.
VERDICT
With Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried on top form, The Housemaid delivers an outstanding movie. There are some great twists. It is an almost perfect adaptation of the novel. Except for the changes that have been made, some so slight, they are not that noticeable, the film is a faithful big-screen telling of Freida McFadden’s bestseller. The narrative is all here, the twists come at us exactly as they should, and the film itself is an excellent pre-Christmas package that deserves to be unwrapped by audiences. Boasting a nasty, evil, slimy cameo from Elizabeth Perkins as Evelyn Winchester, Andrew’s mother, the film is never anything but riveting entertainment. Aided by Brandon Sklenar and Michele Morrone’s supporting turns, the film is a delight.
But the film belongs to the two main leads without question. Both actresses deliver superior performances, keeping us guessing, hooked, and amazed at what they deliver. Both also act as executive producers on the film, raising its profile that much higher. And in a neat turn, neither takes top billing during the end credits; instead, both actresses get equal billing, precisely as it should be. While the supporting cast, screenplay and direction are all sublime, Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried easily carry the burden of the film on their shoulders, delivering superior entertainment. It is thanks to the pair of them and their belief in the project that it is so good.
WILL MILLIE RETURN?
Will we see Millie return in the movie version of the first sequel to the original novel, The Housemaid’s Secret? With a bit of luck and some great box office returns, we should. The film deserves that much, at the very least. I would be down to see Sydney Sweeney return as Millie in a second film, with Feig returning to direct and Rebecca Sonnenshine returning to script it. It all depends on how well-received this first film is. But for me, it is a no-brainer. Forget the big-budget CGI-heavy blockbusters that will compete against it; go and see a film that will have you thinking as well as chill and entertain you. A neat, tidy, and dust-free thriller.
The Housemaid is released in the United States this Friday, and in the United Kingdom on Boxing Day, courtesy of Lionsgate.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
