The Housemaid: What’s Going On Here?

Du vet, sometimes a film just leaves you sitting there thinking, “What the heck did I just watch?” That was me after seeing The Housemaid. Directed by Sang-soo Im, who by the way, is known for diving deep into the messy lives of his characters. This thing is like a high-stakes chess game with human emotions.

Okay, first things first, Jeon Do-yeon. This woman is amazing. She just has this face that can break your heart without saying a word. If Meryl Streep is our international queen of acting, this lady’s gotta be South Korea’s. The film follows her character as she becomes a housemaid for this obscenely wealthy family, and let’s just say, things get messy, faster than you can say “smörgåsbord.”

Rich People, Rich Problems

Now, I’ve never been a housemaid myself, but my aunt worked as a cleaner in one of those fancy glass houses along Norr Mälarstrand. She always said, “Rich people, same old problems, just with posher accents.” And this movie—it doubles down on that notion. Wealth here is both glamorous and a trap. One minute they’re sipping high-end wine, the next they’re tearing at each other like hungry wolves.

You’ve Got to Wonder Why…

Why do we love watching disaster unfold in wealthy families? Is it schadenfreude? Or maybe it’s just the excitement of alien lives colliding with ordinary struggles. Even with this intense drama, I couldn’t help but feel like I was missing something—these secrets wrapped in a pretty box aren’t always easy to untangle. Maybe that’s the point, hej. Leaves you guessing long after you’ve left the cinema.

At times I felt like I was in a really intense sauna—it’s just heat, tension, and the feeling you might pass out. Would I watch it again? Not sure, but it defiantly makes you think. Just don’t watch it before bed or you’ll be dreaming of alarms and secret vendettas.

Totally worth a shot though, even if it’s just to say, “I saw that whirlwind!”

Check the trailer below