'The Housemaid' Review: A Twisted, Darkly Entertaining Psychological Thriller
- Elliot Lines
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
By Elliot Lines - December 16, 2025
Based on the novel by Freida McFadden, The Housemaid stars Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney in one of the year’s most surprising releases. Seyfried’s unhinged performance is undoubtedly the standout, but The Housemaid also delivers dark twists and wicked humour, resulting in a thoroughly entertaining psychological thriller.
What is The Housemaid about?
The film follows Millie (Sydney Sweeney), who takes on a live-in housemaid role for Nina (Amanda Seyfried) and her husband Andy (Brandon Sklenar). All is clearly not well in the Winchester household. Nina is prone to frequent episodes of volatile, psychotic rage, but behind closed doors lies a far more disturbing secret—one that slowly comes into focus as the story unfolds.
Having not read the book, what plays out over the course of the film was a genuine delight. Going in blind felt like a real advantage given the direction the narrative takes. While elements of the story may feel predictable, it never diminishes the impact of the reveal. From that moment onward, the true nature of each character begins to surface, flipping the power dynamics entirely and sending the film into far darker territory.
Seyfried Unleashed, Sweeney Transformed
At the centre of it all, Amanda Seyfried delivers a scene-stealing performance that often outshines her co-stars. During Nina’s explosive outbursts, Seyfried is genuinely terrifying yet oddly sympathetic, revealing a character driven more by desperation than malice. Sweeney, meanwhile, spends much of the first half playing things close to her chest, but once the truth is exposed, she is given the space to explore Millie’s darker side—a woman with a troubled past and scars earned for reasons that feel painfully justified.
The film’s core themes revolve around abuse and control, shining a light on a disturbingly real issue in today’s society. The Housemaid explores the extreme lengths someone may go to in order to escape the grasp of the very person who should be protecting them. It captures the suffocating desperation of abuse and the immense difficulty victims face when trying to speak out. In this story, the situation is pushed to its most extreme conclusion—where survival leaves only one way out.
A Chilling and Compelling Final Verdict
Ultimately, The Housemaid is a slick, gripping psychological thriller that thrives on strong performances and a willingness to lean into its darker impulses. While it may not reinvent the genre, its sharp twists, unsettling themes, and standout turn from Amanda Seyfried ensure it lingers long after the credits roll. It’s the kind of film that rewards going in blind, embracing its moral grey areas and escalating tension, and stands as one of the more compelling and entertaining thrillers to surface this year.
'The Housemaid' releases in US cinemas December 19, and UK cinemas December 26.
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