The Housemaid is a slow burn thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat

🎥 American director Paul Feig is best known for rom coms with a bit of action, but in The Housemaid, he veers completely off path. Based on Freida McFadden’s bestselling novel, Feig crafts a gripping thriller about a young woman whose misfortune leads her to work for a strange family.

The plot: Millie (Sydney Sweeney) is struggling with a troubled past; no family, no friends, and no place to call home. In her attempt to find a job, she finds what appears to be a perfect one — a live-in maid for the wealthy Winchesters in their massive estate in a quiet New York suburb. Nina (Amanda Seyfried), her husband Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), and her daughter Cece (Indiana Elle) appear to be quite normal on the surface — but they’re not.

Millie soon realizes that behind Nina’s amicable smile lies a wealth of anger, volatility, and violence. Andrew warns Millie that Nina has some mental health troubles that may lead to her harming herself or others. Desperate to keep a job, Millie shrugs it off. All’s well until she and Andrew begin falling for each other.

Our expectations weren’t high, but The Housemaid took us by surprise. Seyfried delivers one of her strongest performances to date, portraying Nina’s complexities so vividly that we’d argue she’s the reason behind the film’s success. Sklenar also steps out of his comfort zone, delivering his fair share of powerful scenes. While Sweeney’s performance wasn’t extraordinary, the award for worst performance eluded her, instead going to Michael Morrone, whose portrayal of the gardener, Enzo, was almost difficult to watch — thankfully, he wasn’t central to the plot.

Our verdict: The movie carries a suspenseful atmosphere reminiscent of ‘90s thrillers. Although it’s technically a slow burn, it never feels tedious. Even if seasoned viewers manage to predict the twist, it remains an entertaining experience. Feig succeeds in keeping the audience eager to see what happens next, with the final act delivering a shocking escalation. Into thrillers? You won’t want to miss out on this one.

WHERE TO WATCH IT- The film is screening at City Center Almaza, Alexandria, and Mall of Egypt’s Vox Cinemas, City Stars Cinema, Cima Arkan, and CFCM and D5’s Scene Cinema. Watch the trailer on YouTube (watch, runtime: 2:33)