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Hate to be cliche and be another one who says "the book is better than the movie!!" But that truly is the case here.

The first half of the movie felt like a weird low budget film that was just trying to set up a scene of Sydney Sweeney topless. It was weird vibes and just really felt rushed until her intimate scene.

After that, it actual felt like the real thriller story it should have been.

With that said, maybe I'm just not a Sydney Sweeney fan... I found her acting to be so dry and dull. Amanda on the other hand saved the entire film and was great.

The film overall was bleh. If I hadn't read the book, I would think it was fine. But remembering how into the book I was, it fell short for me. I wouldn't rewatch it.

Millie (Sydney Sweeney) is hired by Nina Winchester (Amanda Seyfried) a rich social lite to is hired to be a housemaid, much of the surprise by her husband Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), but Millie will discover that in their household, nothing is quite what it seems.

Amanda Seyfried really surprised me here, for a while I never thought of her as much has an actress, but here she proved me wrong, really keeps you on edge. Sydney Sweeney is also good, has Millie, displaying such fear and confusing quite perfectly, I believe she's a better actress then she is giving credit. Brandon Sklenar is also great as Andrew. This movie has many twists you won't see coming, just when you think how it's going to end, it pulls the rug right out from under you. My mild complaint it drags a little in spots, but other than that a well made thriller.

LIKES: Solid Setting Great Production Value Decent Pacing Great Information Rather Limited Loose Ends Sensual Drama Good Character Development Thrilling Elements Good Dark Comedy Use Accurate Per My Friend The Acting Is The Heart DISLIKES: A Tad Predictable Some Intense Moments A Tad Contrived It Is Long One Character Needed some More Time

Summary: I went in this movie with expectations that it would be another Drama book massacred into a new Grey's Anatomy-like session with attractive stars and little sustenance outside of superficial qualities of sex and scandal. Fortunately, they were wrong. The Housemaid starts with a great setting, a realistic suburban neighborhood with gorgeous views, eclectic tastes, and plenty of areas to give some intense moments. Fantastic production qualities bring this house to life, mixing great cinematography, sound editing, and direction to bring the book to life and give you as many facets of this odd situation as possible. I found myself able to follow all of the information that was held in this book, with surprisingly detailed pieces that didn't feel bloated, overloaded, or unnecessary for the most part. Feig's direction has brought something to life, a very powerful translation from the book to the movie, as the transcription seems to get most of the details accurate (according to my friend), and takes liberties to give a little more edge, thrills, and movie flair to make it more engaging. Loose ends feel very minimal, even the ending, making sure to give everyone what they need to conclude this tale, while also setting up for a sequel, should they pursue the other books. It maintains good character development, granting levels of detail one would find in a book (to some extent), but again not bloating the time with anything that felt a waste or used for a time filler. Sensual elements arise in the right places, giving you plenty of thrills, drama, and the physically appealing elements that several members in my theater made sound effects for their enjoyment. Dark comedy finds its place at the right times, lines that feel well-timed and delivered with a venomous bite that leaves behind damaging effects far after the acidic words drip out. And all of this comes together in a balanced manner to be this invigorating and intriguing film, I had not expected to be so enjoyable to watch. Yet, it's the acting, I think, that brings much of this to life, with performances that bring our actors to incredible levels of haunting edginess that make a thriller like this so enjoyable to watch. Sweeney's got her usual tricks, the spectrum not as ranged as her co-actress, but so masterful that I can't help but be drawn into her performance. Seyfried surprised me with her range of emotions and the sheer terror of how believable she can shift between so many complex mindsets, with such startling accuracy, and still craft such an alluring character. Brandon Sklenar was sensational in his role, delivering lines with a rapier-sharp and precise stabs that do everything you need for such a bridging role between so many characters. Their chemistry is incredible, and to bring such fierceness to the role was not something I was expecting to be such a strong element to the movie.

My Dislikes are fewer in this film, but as a warning, I'm not the biggest fan of her work and don't have the bias that superfans might think. The movie has plenty of lines added or focused to convey the direction the film is going, sometimes doing too good a job of preparing you for what is about to come. Such twists are maximized with surprise, and I don't quite think they got that with these major hints. In addition, the movie is a bit contrived, requiring some suspension of logic and lapses in judgment to ignore the trouble that is brewing. I guess that's part of the fun, but these elements do little, nor do some of the more intense moments do for my friends. While it's not the most disturbing, those with constitutions not set to some triggering material need to brace themselves for the chaos to come. And as many have said, the film is a tad longer than I suspected, running over two hours. While the pacing is good, that investment means limited showtimes could feel longer than you want. Finally, some information pieces could have used some time, especially in regards to one character or two who could have gotten a little more time and involvement, something the book does better.

The VERDICT: In the end, The Housemaid was much better than I expected. A solid book-to-movie conversion on many elements, the film seems to do the book justice and adds a bit more dramatic energy to the book to serve some more fulfilling justice without compromising most of the integrity. The production quality is high, the humor is integrated strongly, and I think that the balance of information, thrills, and drama is one of the better elements I've seen in a long time. With an incredible cast to bring the material to life, The Housemaid only continues to be a movie I can recommend, worthy of the theater for those ready for a twisty, turny, and deeper film than I had expected. Sure, it's not a perfect conversion, as some changes may not suit some of the fans, and the length of the film may be difficult, given the fleeting attention spans many have told me they suffer from. In addition, this film still has a bit of a contrived plot and some darker elements that may be disturbing to watch without a friend or some means to cope with the intense displays. Still, when I factor everything together, I give The Housemaid: Drama/Thriller: 8.0-8.5 Movie Overall: 7.5-8.0.

This film is good, entertaining, solid, and cheesy fun, with just enough serious and surprisingly complex storylines to appeal to both mainstream audiences and lighter film critics. It builds steadily toward a crescendo--perhaps more than one-with a handful of well-timed twists and turns that should satisfy popcorn-loving moviegoers from college age to adulthood.

None of the performances are likely to earn an Academy Award, but the cast does a credible job portraying desperate, flawed, and occasionally unhinged characters. The film is helped along by its beautiful setting, striking home, and an ensemble of attractive actors, which carry it through a few moments where the plot flirts with jumping the shark on believability.

Still, enough thought and structure have gone into the screenplay to make it feel like one of the twist-heavy domestic dramas of past decades, rather than a throwaway thriller. The pacing holds, the stakes escalate,& the film largely earns its moments of excess.

The film follows a young woman who becomes a housemaid for a wealthy family. Soon the housemaid finds out that there's more than meets the eye.

What carries this film are the three central performances from Sweeney, Seyfried, and Sklenar. Seyfried is a particular standout, aptly balancing instability here in the first part of the film, and a kind of charm and gentleness later. It's also nice that the two female leads aren't just ditzy and have some interiority.

As long as you don't take it too seriously, you'll have a good time. The suspense, tension, and dread ratchet up slowly until it reaches an explosive, satisfying ending. The twists are shocking and unexpected. The film is unpredictable and pleasingly chaotic at times. (Disclaimer: I didn't read the source material.) The action scenes are cool and at times graphic, and the romance is hot.

This is not only a fun little thriller, but it also has some substance to it. It can be cathartic and poignant at points. It's not often that mainstream films portray domestic violence in the upper echelons of society, and this film does that while simultaneously offering an entertaining time. I myself was in an abusive relationship not too long ago, with a good-looking, successful, and wealthy person similar to the abuser depicted in this film, that lasted for several years. Like the family in this film, we lived in the suburbs where no one suspected a thing, but of course underneath that manicured exterior he was abusing me. It was relatable and refreshing to see my experience represented on screen.

Mind you, this film is by no means perfect. It feels campy and cheesy for much of the runtime due to the extremity of some actions taken by characters. And the couple sex scenes feel gratuitous. But at the same time, that can all be forgiven as the extremeness and high tension only adds to the fun in this little popcorn flick.

And for those who've been in abusive relationships, particularly with wealthy partners, this film offers the added benefit of being therapeutic. You should know that you're not alone, that there is help out there, and you can always leave the abuse behind.

Enjoy this throwback to the thrillers of the 90s. It's fun.