MOVIE REVIEW: THE HOUSEMAID

 

Hoping for a fresh start, a young woman becomes a live-in maid for a wealthy couple who harbour sinister secrets.

Director: Paul Feig

Cast: Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar, Michele Morrone, Elizabeth Perkins

Release Date: December 19, 2025

Genre: Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Mystery

Rated R for strong/bloody violent content, sexual assault, sexual content, nudity and language.

Runtime:  2h 11m

Review:

The Housemaid is a tawdry throwback to the psychosexual thrillers from the 90’s powered by a devilishly unhinged performance from Amanda Seyfried that covers up some of the film’s more glaring warts.  Paul Feig delivers a beautifully acclimated film that carries the sort visual polish you’d come to expect from a director of his talent.  There are bits and pieces of his own comedic/thriller A Simple Favor scattered throughout as he creates the affluent world the characters inhabit exemplified by Seyfried’s Nina Winchester who’s perpetually draped in white clothing.  After initially setting the stage of the well to do perfection Sydney Sweeney’s Millie is hired into, it doesn’t take long for the rather large cracks in the façade to start to reveal themselves.  The passive aggressive hell hole Sweeney’s character finds herself is peppered with psychological torture that she endures thanks to her checkered past.  The story is fun although it telegraphs a number of its “shocking” reveals early on especially for those with a decerning eye since the construction isn’t as clever as it thinks it is.    Sydney Sweeney is solid if uninspired in the lead role with her character proving to be the least interesting person onscreen at any given time.  Sweeney has proven she’s capable of pulling off strong performances but here she’s fighting some choppy writing which has her character go from overly gullible to brutally street smart on the turn of a dime.  It’s a shame since the character’s checked past offers up plenty to work with but the film doesn’t bother offering up any real depth to her which feels like a massive misstep.   Brandon Sklenar plays up the heartthrob role he’s established in his recent turns in 2024’s It Ends with Us and 2025’s Drop with general ease with makes his character easy to like especially early on.  Ultimately, this film belongs to Amanda Seyfried with her truly twisted turn as Nina Winchester who may or may not be utterly insane.  Seyfried chews the screen up with impressive enthusiasm as she channels Faye Dunaway’s Mommie Dearest at various points during the film as she tortures Sweeney’s Millie almost from the moment she settles into the house.  She so captivating that there’s a noticeable dip in energy whenever her character disappears from the screen especially during the increasingly ludicrous final act which almost crashes the entire film.  As is, The Housemaid plays like an amalgam of The Hand that Rocks the Cradle, Single White Female and Sleeping with the Enemy that struggles to ultimately struggles to find its own voice.  

B-

TV SHOW REVIEW: WEEDS SEASON 1 - 7

TV SHOW REVIEW: WEEDS SEASON 1 - 7



Synopsis:

Dark comedy about a single mother who makes ends meet by selling marijuana in the fictional suburb of Agrestic, California. The series exposes the dirty little secrets that lie behind the pristine lawns and shiny closed doors of homes in the of this gated community. Mary Louise Parker stars as the suburban mom who resorts to selling weed to support her family after her husband unexpectedly dies

Starring: Mary-Louise Parker, Hunter Parrish, Alexander Gould, Kevin Nealon, Justin Kirk

Weeds is an interesting show, for a dramedy it’s incredibly risky and bold, not just because of the subject matter either. Jenji Kohan has to be given credit for taking massive risk throughout the series’ 7 season run. Most shows stick with the status quo and stick with what works. Weeds, for better or worse, likes to stir the pot (pun intended). At its center is the lovely and snarky turn by Mary-Louise Parker. Parker has an interesting screen presence and an uncanny ability to deliver lines in a funny & sarcastic way. Her biggest talent is turning a character that becomes increasingly reckless, selfish and self centered likeable some how. It’s a daunting task to keep the audience on Nancy Botwin’s side and there are plenty of times that it’s impossible but regardless Parker make her interesting. Justin Kirk has a slightly easier time with Andy Botwin who starts off as kind of a mooch be really turns into the shows heart and soul. Andy functions nicely a passive stand in for the audience. Hunter Parrish and Alexander Gould really grow into their roles both literally and artistically as the series goes on. Gould’s character in particular takes an interesting but decently foreshadowed turn as the series goes on. Kevin Nealon really flexes his comedic muscle as stoner / once well respected bureaucrat and accountant, like everybody else’s character his story line takes many a twist and turn. An assortment of excellent character actors and actresses pepper the series all leaving lasting impressions which are especially noticeable when their characters disappear from the series. Elizabeth Perkins, Allie Grant, Tonye Patano and Romany Malco in particular do fine work and causally tossed aside during various seasons. I’d be a liar if I said that Weeds wasn’t occasionally frustrating and maddening. Things change a lot over the course of the series. Season 1 is vastly different from Season 7 but then again the characters would be incredibly boring if they stayed the same forever. Wouldn’t they? If Season 7 is the end and a massive cliffhanger we’re left with is the end, part of me feels like its oddly fitting. Time will tell if we get a proper end or not.

B-