My first movie review of 2026, is a sleek, sexy dark comedy–drama that lives squarely in the camp thriller space. Directed by Paul Feig, the film feels much closer in tone to A Simple Favor than his broader comedies, leaning into twists, glossy aesthetics, and heightened performances rather than outright laughs.
The story follows Millie (Sidney Sweeney), a young woman fresh out of prison with a troubled past, who takes a live-in housemaid job for an impossibly wealthy family. On the surface, the household seems perfect: a pristine home, a charming husband (Brendan Sklenar), a beautiful wife (Amanda Seyfried), and their young daughter, Cece. But almost immediately, cracks begin to form—most notably through Seyfried’s character, who quickly reveals herself to be deeply unstable. As Millie settles into the job, it becomes clear that everyone in this house is hiding something, and the film’s tension hinges on figuring out what the inevitable “big reveal” is going to be.
At face value, The Housemaid works. It’s entertaining, twisty, and engaging enough to keep you invested for its runtime, largely because you’re constantly trying to stay one step ahead of the story. Feig knows how to build intrigue, and for much of the film, the mystery surrounding Seyfried’s character is genuinely compelling. However, while the movie sticks the landing conceptually, the execution of the final act is more uneven. The big reveal both lands and doesn’t—it’s satisfying in theory, but the film keeps going well past the point where it should have wrapped up. The final scene, in particular, veers into an oddly over-the-top, almost superhero-esque moment that feels tonally out of step with what came before.
The performances are very much a mixed bag. Amanda Seyfried is easily the film’s strongest asset. She carries the movie on her back, playing unhinged with just the right mix of menace and dark humor. While this isn’t anywhere near her best work, the film would likely fall apart without her commitment—she makes the character watchable, unpredictable, and fun. Sidney Sweeney remains a question mark. She has brief moments where her strengths as an actress shine through, but overall it often feels like she’s cast more for her image than for depth, and the role doesn’t push her much beyond that. Brendan Sklenar is solid for most of the runtime and works well in the film’s early tension, but struggles once the story demands more from him in the final third.
Structurally, the film is about 20 minutes too long. There’s a lot of filler—extended scenes that don’t add much beyond atmosphere—and at times the movie practically explains itself twice. The slow burn toward the reveal works initially, but once it happens, the story keeps spinning its wheels instead of ending decisively. This easily could have been a tighter, more effective film at around 1 hour and 50 minutes.
The supporting cast doesn’t get much to do. Elizabeth Perkins pops up as Sklenar’s mother, which is nice to see, but the role is thin. The daughter character, Cece, is notably underdeveloped and feels like a missed opportunity for added emotional weight. The soundtrack, clearly geared toward a female audience and fans of the book, is serviceable but often too on-the-nose, occasionally undercutting the tension rather than enhancing it.
One of the more interesting undercurrents in The Housemaid is how it plays with the idea of vulnerable women and the illusion of being “saved.” Both Amanda Seyfried’s and Sidney Sweeney’s characters are positioned as damsels in distress—women who, at least on the surface, seem to need rescuing. Brendan Sklenar’s character presents himself as the knight in shining armor, someone drawn to fixing broken people, which the film subtly suggests may be less altruistic than it first appears. This dynamic becomes especially important in the final third, where the story shifts toward both women realizing their own agency and strength, rejecting the idea that they need to be saved at all. It’s an intriguing theme that adds some psychological texture to what might otherwise be a straightforward camp thriller.
Ultimately, The Housemaid is a solid piece of campy fun. It’s not great, and it’s certainly not subtle, but it knows what it is. If you’re willing to meet it on its level—a glossy, twist-driven thriller designed more for entertainment than depth—it mostly delivers. It’s the kind of movie that plays perfectly on a slightly hungover New Year’s Day: engaging, ridiculous in spots, and carried by a strong central performance. Just don’t expect it to stick the landing as cleanly as it sets things up.
The Housemaid = 60/100
