‘The Housemaid’ evaluation: Sweeney and Seyfried perceive the task

Director Paul Feig has proved himself to be the preeminent purveyor of the best high-camp trash one can discover on the movie show today — and that’s a praise. If he’s serving up the trash, then name me a raccoon, as a result of I’m able to dive in.

Feig’s particular sauce in terms of these soapy, female-driven thrillers like “A Easy Favor” and now “The Housemaid,” tailored by Rebecca Sonnenshine from a “BookTok” sensation by Freida McFadden, is clearly his comedy background. The filmmaker understands precisely the tone to deploy right here; you may really feel his realizing winks and nudges to the viewers with each loaded look, stray graze or wandering digicam motion. It’s as if he’s saying to us and all of the tipsy women within the viewers: Test this out — LOL, proper? LOL certainly, Mr. Feig.

“The Housemaid” is an erotic crime thriller that deploys foolish sexual stereotypes and fantasies just like the naughty maid after which flips them on their head. Within the opening scene, the drably dressed, bespectacled Millie (Sydney Sweeney) interviews for a live-in maid place with the nice and cozy and pleasant spouse and mom Nina Winchester (Amanda Seyfried) in her gorgeously appointed Lengthy Island mansion designed by her rich husband, Andrew (Brandon Sklenar of “Drop”).

However all will not be what it appears, for applicant and employer. Each are hiding darkish secrets and techniques however Nina hires Millie nonetheless. Millie, with out some other choices, gratefully accepts.

When Millie strikes into the maid’s quarters within the attic, she discovers that the Winchester house isn’t as picture-perfect because it appeared. Little issues are off: She will be able to’t open her window, the groundskeeper, Enzo (Michele Morrone), glowers at her continually, objects go lacking and CeCe (Indiana Elle), Nina’s daughter, is exceedingly chilly.

Then there are the large issues which are off, like Nina’s wild temper swings and the vicious gossip about her psychological well being among the many different Stepford wives of the realm. Millie realizes she’s in over her head with Mrs. Winchester, however her saving grace is the nice and cozy and good-looking Mr. Winchester. Is that the place that is going? After all it’s, all of us groan collectively, fortunately.

“The Housemaid” is like “Gaslight” meets “Jane Eyre,” with a splash of “Rebecca,” and all the assorted roles are evenly scrambled, infused with a a lot sexier, nastier streak than any of these mannered mindbenders. Feig stylishly waltzes us by way of this steamy, twisty thriller with ease, however not essentially sophistication — that is the sort of frothy leisure that you could nonetheless enjoyably comprehend after a glass or two (which actually would possibly improve the expertise).

However it doesn’t fly with out an actor of Seyfried’s caliber, who can summon unpredictable mayhem from her fingertips. Nor wouldn’t it operate with out Sweeney, who works finest in a register someplace between ditzy blond and difficult little scrapper. Each actors exude a component of the unhinged that simmers proper beneath the doe-eyed blond floor and we all know we needs to be a bit of (or loads) afraid of those ladies. The movie additionally doesn’t make sense with out a heartthrob like Sklenar, since we have to fall in lust along with his beautiful exterior and intoxicatingly cuddly aura for this all to ultimately make sense.

There’s not way more to say with out giving all of it away, so put together to titter, gasp, scream and cheer for this juicy slice of indulgent ladies’s leisure. Go on, you deserve a bit of deal with this vacation season.

Katie Walsh is a Tribune Information Service movie critic.