PLOT: Contemporary out of jail, Millie (Sydney Sweeney) lies her approach into a primary gig because the live-in housemaid for a fabulously rich household. Initially welcomed with open arms by her new boss, Nina (Amanda Seyfried), she rapidly learns that life together with her new employers isn’t going to be a picnic, particularly as soon as she begins to develop emotions for Nina’s husband, Andrew (Brandon Sklenar).
REVIEW: There are good motion pictures, there are unhealthy motion pictures, after which there are good unhealthy motion pictures. The Housemaid is what I think about the latter. It’s an adaptation of a pulpy, trashy piece of airport fiction by creator Freida McFadden that didn’t win a number of essential raves however bought a ton of copies and was a rattling enjoyable learn. It was trash, however it was good trash. Paul Feig’s movie has the identical aim in thoughts. A wise, typically subtle filmmaker, his A Easy Favor motion pictures had been like tough drafts for the ultimate, ultra-trashy 2.0 model that’s The Housemaid. Many will name this trashy and critics might hate it, however it may develop into a giant hit if its lead, Sydney Sweeney, hasn’t been fatally overexposed.
The movie centres round Sweeney’s Millie, however the display screen time is fairly equally cut up between her, Seyfried’s Nina, and Sklenar’s Andrew. All three have been forged due to how they appear, and Feig makes probably the most of that, with each Sklenar and Sweeney getting lovingly photographed nude scenes. There’s nary a second the place Sweeney doesn’t seem like she’s about to spill out of her shirt, whereas Sklenar nearly by no means wears sleeves.
Of all of them, it’s Seyfried because the gloriously batty Nina who appears to be having probably the most enjoyable, together with her loopy act coming off like a tribute to Faye Dunaway’s portrayal of Joan Crawford in Mommie Dearest. It’s a scrumptious, intentionally camp efficiency, however it additionally serves a function because the film goes on and the movie’s actual premise turns into clear.
Sklenar additionally appears to be having an excellent time sinking his tooth into a component that permits him to play a dreamy main man whereas additionally tenting it up within the movie’s second half. It’s straightforward to see why Feig was capable of entice three such huge names to the forged, because it looks as if the sort of film that will need to have been a blast to make, and to make certain, it’s good enjoyable to look at.
Of the three, Sweeney is caught with probably the most standard half, being our main girl. Subsequent to Seyfried and Sklenar, she will be able to’t assist however get misplaced amongst all of the surroundings chewing, however she additionally has the proper look and allure for the function. Whereas blasting her performing skill has seemingly develop into sport in current months, she’s truly at all times been an excellent actress, though of her roles, that is doubtless the least taxing she’s performed since Anybody However You, as she largely simply has to bounce off Seyfried and Sklenar’s craziness. The supporting forged roughly vanishes into the background, with Michele Morrone barely registering as Enzo, the mysterious groundskeeper. Elizabeth Perkins exhibits up, with bleached white hair, to play Andrew’s intense mother, Evelyn, together with her doing a pleasant Joan Crawford or Bette Davis riff in her small half.
The viewers that sees The Housemaid will doubtless be cut up in half. Some will assume that is the dumbest film they’ve ever seen and totally dismiss it. However those that recognize good trash and camp may have an excellent time. This isn’t making an attempt to be Gone Lady and even Deadly Attraction. It’s extra like probably the most psychotic misplaced episode of Dynasty you by no means noticed, and for what it’s, I had fun.
