THE HOUSEMAID

Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney

THE HOUSEMAID (2025). Director: Paul Feig. 

Millie (Sydney Sweeney), who is keeping a few secrets, gets a job as housekeeper to a young couple with a small daughter. Nina Winchester (Amanda Seyfried) seems warm and welcoming at first, but has a habit of throwing fits and becoming jealous. Her husband, Andrew (Brandon Sklenar of Drop), is handsome and charming and seems to do his best to keep Nina under control. But the Winchesters are keeping secrets, too, as Millie learns when Nina and her daughter go out of town and Andrew asks Millie to accompany him on an innocent excursion to the theater ...

Brandon Sklenar

During much of its length The Housemaid resembles another one of those Lifetime movies with couples and nannies and housekeepers and the like where you know nothing good is going to come out of this particular hire. The Housemaid is a little trickier than that, although nothing that is that out of the ordinary. It's no big surprise who the big bad person will turn out to be, as it's almost obligatory in this day and age. Despite that, the film is absorbing enough and very well acted by all. All told, it's entertaining but not that memorable, although it has several compelling -- and even sexy -- sequences. Paul Feig also directed A Simple Favor and Another Simple Favor. 

Verdict: Very good performances in a credible if minor suspense flick. **1/2. 

DROP

Meghann Fahy and Brandon Sklenar

DROP (2025). Director: Christopher Landon. 

Violet (Meghann Fahy) has not been on a date since the death of her abusive husband, but she seems to have met a likable guy in photographer Henry (Brandon Sklenar). They have chosen a truly fabulous, swanky high-rise restaurant for their first date, but there's a decided complication when she gets threatening messages on her smart phone. Then the security system shows a masked intruder with a gun in the home where her little boy, Toby, is being babysat by his aunt. Violet is told if she tells the police or anyone what's going on, Toby will die, and then is given instructions for poisoning her date ... 

Meghann Fahy

Drop certainly sets up an intriguing situation and is very suspenseful as a desperate Meghann, unable to tell Henry what is really going on, wonders who else sitting in the same restaurant is behind this horrible scheme. There isn't a dull moment in the picture, which turns violent and melodramatic towards the very end. Fahy, Sklenar and the rest of the cast give solid performances, and the film is well directed by Christopher Landon, the son of Michael Landon. (Landon also directed Happy Death Day.) There is one moment that is a bit of a cheat, but otherwise the plot, while far-fetched, doesn't seem too illogical. 

Verdict: Quite good but somehow not a classic. ***.