Director Paul Feig brings back the sexually charged thrillers of the 80’s and 90’s in The Housemaid, starring Sidney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried.
By Craig Allan
Three and a half stars
Over the last few years, it has become easier for independent writers to publish their own books through places like Amazon. With this ease, it also becomes easier for new voices to be found. One of those new voices is Frieda McFadden, who in 2022 published her own democidal thriller, The Housemaid, which follows a woman working for an unstable mother. The novel was a hit with readers, and it wasn’t long before Hollywood came calling for an adaptation. Feig, most known for comedies like Bridesmaids (2011)and The Heat (2013), takes on this thriller novel, adapting and improving it for the silver screen. Between Sweeney’s perfect casting as Millie and a change to the ending that makes better use of the story for film, The Housemaid makes a worthy adaptation of the twisty, pulpy quality of the book.
The Sonnenshine and Feig adaptation closely follows the book for the first two acts; it’s only in the third act that they diverge. I would say this is for the better, as the ending of the movie is far more tense and cinematic. This, along with a better adaptation of Nina Winchester’s daughter, Cece Winchester (Indiana Elle), lets Feig’s movie improve on the book while keeping the core elements.
Unfortunately, Sweeney has had a tough year as a leading lady. Her films, Americana, Eden, and Christy, struggled, and an advertising controversy led people to question her star power. However, it looks like Sweeney ended 2025 strong with The Housemaid. She is perfect for the role of Millie, as she looks exactly like the character description and also portrays the forlorn struggle and awkwardness of the character. While Seyfried does not look like the description of Nina, the casting of both actors is a good addition to the movie. Both actors share visual similarities, yet are distinct, a factor that works for the film.
Sonnenshine and Feig really take the movie to a more violent place, with the ending being the biggest departure. While the ending of the book was a little tame, the movie goes for violent and shocking imagery. The characters have many moments that feel ripped out of an over-the-top soap opera, with Seyfried providing delightful crash outs, fitting this at times unsettling thriller. This really harkens back to movies like Single White Female and Fatal Attraction with their obsessive, manic characters.
The movie also does a good job at giving Millie more agency as she handles herself more realistically than in the book. The movie also provides some fun moments for people who have read the book, making references to the colouring of women’s hair and some background imagery. Details, like a stack of books, are meant to misdirect those in the know into thinking the movie adheres to the novel, only to zag in a different direction. The set designs are also very well done, making each set feel like a character in itself, with the house looking exactly like the description in the book.
While it might have been better to take some liberties with the source material in the first two acts, the movie is a successful adaptation of McFadden’s novel. It’s hard to tell if audiences who have not read the book will react to elements of this movie outside of the third act, as they are less engaging. However, for a movie trying to play in a genre that has not been seen in theatres recently, Housemaid is a fun throwback to the tense, sexually charged thrillers of the past.
