The Housemaid Review: Seyfried Shines In Great Adaptation of Best-Selling Novel

Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia) and Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria) star in The Housemaid, an adaptation of Freida McFadden's novel of the same name.

Synopsis:

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

Cast:

Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklennar, Michele Monroe, Indiana Elle

Release Date: In Theaters Now

Seyfried Puts in Standout Performance

Credit: Lionsgate

I need to preface this entire review by saying that I have read this novel relatively recently, so I have a fresh opinion on the source material. Reading the book and knowing that Amanda Seyfried was set to star was Nina, I was so curious on how she'd play out her insane emotional swings throughout the film. It's no surprise given her incredible reputation that she absolutely knocks this role out of the park. There's multiple different layers and phases to Nina in this film, taking the audience on a roller coaster of emotions throughout the runtime. Seyfried is able to perfectly balance the unsettling presence of Nina early in the story with the turn we see from her about halfway into the movie. There's always a sense that there is more to Nina then we are being told and Amanda plays it out in a way that keeps the audience guessing the whole way through. This film also gives her some incredibly emotional scenes to play out and she totally crushes it. I think it's a lead role that will really resonate with audiences for years to come. With this and The Testament Of Ann Lee releasing next week, what a month of December it's shaping up to be for Seyfried.

After reading the novel, I wasn't totally sold when I heard Sydney Sweeney would be playing Millie. It wasn't for a lack of talent on her part, but just because she wasn't at all who I imagined when I was reading. However, Sweeney really surprised me with her performance in this film. She's not only a great Millie, but a very likable main character even with her flaws. You really find yourself rooting for her in the final moments and there's many cheer-worthy moments that come with the third act. Sweeney and Seyfried really do have great chemistry throughout, even when the whole story turns on its head in the middle. I think Sklennar is the worst fit out of the three main characters, but that doesn't necessarily mean he was bad. He's not the Andrew that I imagined, but he still does have very good charisma as usual and there's some really funny moments from him towards the end.

Tensions and Twists Played Out Perfectly

Credit: Lionsgate

One thing that you need to get down for a story of this nature is making it as unsettling as possible from the get go. Although there are so many reasons for Millie to feel comfortable in this environment that she's found herself in, there's still something that feels off due to Paul Feig's direction and music choices. This works towards the tension in the more intense scenes, something that will have audiences on the edge of their seat for almost the entire runtime. Even if most of these tense scenes end without huge consequences for the characters, it's enough to keep you on edge. A lot of it is due to the acting from the main trio of characters, but I do give a lot of credit for Feig for the way he shot the entirety of the scenes inside the house. The angles make us really feel like we are inside the house with Sweeney and that makes you incredibly invested in her as a point-of-view character. Rebecca Sonnenshine's screenplay also slowly peels back the layers of each character's past in a way that allows you to feel invested in each of the main trio.

Everyone loves a good twist in a thriller movie like this, especially when it's as unpredictable as it is here. Reading the book I was just blown away with the change in tone and perspective halfway in, so I'm glad this movie also executed it in a successful way. I don't want to give away too much, but it's very Gone Girl in terms of tone and it's placement in the story. Just when you may start to think you know where things are going, the entire thing is turned on its head. There's an incredible needle drop and it features some of the best acting from the actors that are involved.

Insanely Wild and Fun Third Act

Credit: Lionsgate

After we get that reveal of the big twist, it sets up for an incredibly fun final act. Really my favorite part of Sweeney's performance was seeing her become more controlling and commanding as we got to the ending. Still, the entire situation is just insane and it allows for some moments that got some actual loud reactions from my crowd. I think a movie like this reminds us of some of those old 2000s thrillers that became cultural moments because of how recognizable the more iconic moments were. I'm hoping The Housemaid can fit into that criteria with it following that format to perfection. Feig completely commits to the humor and insanity of the situation, with there still being tension the entire time. I also really appreciated how graphic they decided to make the final product. This wasn't a factor that was totally apparent while reading McFadden's novel, but I think it works within the context of the film to keep the audience invested. This film isn't necessarily a horror, but it is graphic enough to have some cringe-worthy moments. All of that allows for a completely bonkers final act that builds up to an ending that is absolutely satisfying.

More Narration Needed

Credit: Lionsgate

My problems with this film lie in a space slightly between things they changed from the book and just general problems that didn't work for me. The reality is that this was adapted almost 1:1 from the novel, which I obviously think was a great choice given how good the source material is. One thing that I thought this film was missing was a lack of consistent narration from Sweeney. We get to hear her narrating at certain points, along with Seyfried towards the end, but it's not enough to truly understand what she's feeling at certain points in the story. Her feelings toward both Andrew and Nina don't feel as natural due to a lack of internal monologue from Millie. I also took issue with how they handled Michele Monroe's Enzo in the final product. He is nowhere near as integral as he was in the book and even past that, he just didn't really have a significant enough role to even include him in this film. We get hints of his potential help into the story, but by the end he just kind of disappears and we never hear of him again. Even looking through a non-book lens, I just think it could've been interesting to see him involved in the final act. Introducing him just to really only have him in a few scenes felt pretty pointless and at that point, I'd have just removed him from the script entirely.

Final Thoughts:

At the end of the day, I feel incredibly satisfied with this film as an adaptation of one of the better books I've read this year. Although there were some slight changes, it does a great job of adapting the most important aspects. I have those few problems that prevent this from becoming one of the better movies of 2025, but this was an incredibly fun time. Go see this on the biggest screen and with as many people as possible!

Rating: 4/5 Stars

The Housemaid is currently ranked 26th out of the 104 new releases that I've seen this year.

Editor's Note: I've only included the top 20 from my 2025 new releases list, for editing purposes.

2025 Ranked: