The Housemaid, 2025 - ★★★★
I love a crazy story about crazy people! I went in blind, letting the narrative unfold before my eyes, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I can't believe how well-executed this movie was, it nailed the vibe from start to finish. It's not easy to make ordinary lives feel ominous while characters shrug it off repeatedly as if it's nothing, but they pulled it off so well that it kept me on the edge of my seat—followed by deep sighs of relief multiple times—until the story shifted gears and went full throttle into absolute madness!
I enjoyed it so much that I even listened to the audiobook version of the story right after. To my surprise, I agreed with most of the changes made in the adaptation. They really knew how to amp up the adrenaline rush for the film format.
My only complaint about the film is how underdeveloped Nina's story was. If they had followed the book's pace and narrative, it would have had much more depth and nuance. This movie had the potential to convey something significant, but sadly, they left much of the substance on the table. So, instead of a potentially great film, we got a campy, thrilling wild ride that leaves you with an exhilarating aftertaste you can't help but crave for more.
Still, I knew this movie was a huge success when my mom asked if it had received any award nominations! Unfortunately, I had to tell her, "No, Mom," and watched the disappointment in her eyes LOL. It captivated her from start to finish, and she left the cinema with a sparkle in her eyes, something most movies she's seen haven't managed to achieve. My mom doesn't usually care about movie awards, but the fact that she loved this film enough to ask is high praise in itself.
People love to talk badly about these types of movies, but it's precisely films like this that thoroughly entertain with their playful suspense and huge, crazy payoffs.
Life doesn't always have to be taken so seriously to be meaningful—sometimes a wild, silly adventure can also make it worthwhile. The same applies to movies, and this one is such a delightfully satisfying wild ride I can’t wait for the next one.