A fun house that fights against abuse and craziness.
My cousin asked me if I will review “The Housemaid,” which is Paul Feig’s take on Freida McFadden’s novel. McFadden is an alias, BTW. And my sister read the book and already has plans to see it. I trust Feig’s judgment after making “A Simple Favor” and its solid sequel, and I sat in a theater with anticipation. And like the former, he doesn’t disappoint. He knows how to direct comedies and Hitchcockian thrillers. I hope that answers my cousin’s question.
Sydney Sweeney plays a struggling young woman named Millie, who lies on her job application for a live-in position as a nanny for a rich family, that consists of Nina Winchester (Amanda Seyfried, soon to be seen in “The Testament of Ann Lee”), her husband Andrew (Brandon Skelnar), and their daughter Cecilia (Indiana Elle). At first, the husband acts like he was never informed about the new nanny, the girl looks like she should be in a live action version of “The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy,” and the groundskeeper Enzo (Michele Morrone) looks at Millie like she doesn’t belong here.
The job interview has the boss acting all dotty and eccentric, but when Millie starts her job, Nina starts to act like a psycho. She throws a tantrum over speech papers that she said Millie threw out, and unexpectedly asks her to pick up Cecilia from ballet class, only for it to be revealed that they had a sleepover planned. And therefore, she says: “No need to make a scene,” while Millie says nothing. She just has a concerned and shocked face on, as any person would have in a situation like this. And why don’t know why they would be played like this in reality.
Things get worse when Millie has conversations with Andrew-maybe a romantic interest-and Nina doesn’t like it. The wife asks her to book a Broadway show and fancy hotel, but then acts like she never asked Millie to do anything and threatens to take it out of her paycheck. So, what is going on with her? Why is she behaving like this?
At this point in the story, Andrew is kind to the young lady and we wonder how he is able to put up with a psycho like Nina, and how he can put up with his cold-hearted mom (Elizabeth Perkins). That’s the only C-word I can use in this written review. But there’s a reason for Nina’s behavior and a reason why Millie is troubled as well. And the results are more riveting and Hitchcockian than what was displayed in the remake of “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle.” Once we see the truth behind all this, now we know who to the root for.
I’m sure many of you have read the book, and know the theme regards abuse. And the term should never be used in relationships or friendships, doesn’t matter the chemistry. I, myself, am against it, as well as the idea of how the rich can overpower the poor-which class of people has the most dominance.
Seyfried, Sweeney, and Sklenar are all able to take advantage of the book-to-movie transitions without seeming so forced or labored. They feel like they want to get involved with the wickedly delightful nature of the story. Some of the behaviors the wife displays can be overwhelming, but the execution clarifies things and numbs our stress a little. Or it might trigger something else and we know what this film is fighting against.
There’s a lot of tension in “The Housemaid,” which might help deal with our own personal tensions. And maybe that’s why I enjoyed it. Despite the behaviors and twisted nature, this movie version is not mean-spirited and it’s not self-congratulatory. It’s all done with energy and style by the director and cast. How will you fans of the book take this version? Let me know when you see it.
