The Housemaid Reviews
Albert K
Super Reviewer
March 21, 2012
This may surprise you but "The Housemaid" is superbly made. Wow, the cinematography was absolutely gorgeous; excellent camerashots riddled all over this film. It's so sublime in fact that it leaves room for this movie to be identified as an art-house movie, but sadly, there isn't much to the movie except for eerie and surprising perversion, sickening revenge, and a twisted narrative.
It's funny because everything about the movie shouts "true filmmaking". Nevertheless, the narrative simply touches upon the characters' struggles and that's it. This movie isn't here to teach people not to do certain things and it isn't here to thematically stir audiences emotions; this movie is simply here to tell its narrative, which is much of the case for a profuse amount of Korean films, but ever more so with "The Housemaid". Once the credits roll, it seems nothing more than just a shallow but twisted movie that is easily forgotten except for its credible filmmaking craftsmanship.
So if its absolutely devoid of any substance aside from the production value, how is "The Housemaid"'s narrative? Is it entertaining? I guess so. It's gonna give you thrills, chills, and tension. It's also gonna give you strange goosebumps and surprises not because it's a great horror flick, but because of the audacious and extremely black raw sexuality that it throws viewers. C'mon now... it's almost like a cheap scare. Throw in some taboo-breaking content and you got yourself a shocking movie. That to me, is cheap. It draws you, but I was certainly squirming in my seat -- not cause I'm a pansy, but how deep "The Housemaid" chooses to let characters get sucked into a pitch black world of lies, deceit, hatred, and sexuality.
At the end of the day, "The Housemaid" is a stylish but extremely raw sexual movie. It's a movie about sex. That's about it. You think "Black Swan" was raw? LOL "The Housemaid" is stomping all over it, and its all its got: Mesmerizing cinematography and a taboo-shattering narrative. I ain't saying this is a bad movie but it's certainly not even close to what I would enjoy.
*Sigh*, Koreans... they're just so twisted lol.
This may surprise you but "The Housemaid" is superbly made. Wow, the cinematography was absolutely gorgeous; excellent camerashots riddled all over this film. It's so sublime in fact that it leaves room for this movie to be identified as an art-house movie, but sadly, there isn't much to the movie except for eerie and surprising perversion, sickening revenge, and a twisted narrative.
It's funny because everything about the movie shouts "true filmmaking". Nevertheless, the narrative simply touches upon the characters' struggles and that's it. This movie isn't here to teach people not to do certain things and it isn't here to thematically stir audiences emotions; this movie is simply here to tell its narrative, which is much of the case for a profuse amount of Korean films, but ever more so with "The Housemaid". Once the credits roll, it seems nothing more than just a shallow but twisted movie that is easily forgotten except for its credible filmmaking craftsmanship.
So if its absolutely devoid of any substance aside from the production value, how is "The Housemaid"'s narrative? Is it entertaining? I guess so. It's gonna give you thrills, chills, and tension. It's also gonna give you strange goosebumps and surprises not because it's a great horror flick, but because of the audacious and extremely black raw sexuality that it throws viewers. C'mon now... it's almost like a cheap scare. Throw in some taboo-breaking content and you got yourself a shocking movie. That to me, is cheap. It draws you, but I was certainly squirming in my seat -- not cause I'm a pansy, but how deep "The Housemaid" chooses to let characters get sucked into a pitch black world of lies, deceit, hatred, and sexuality.
At the end of the day, "The Housemaid" is a stylish but extremely raw sexual movie. It's a movie about sex. That's about it. You think "Black Swan" was raw? LOL "The Housemaid" is stomping all over it, and its all its got: Mesmerizing cinematography and a taboo-shattering narrative. I ain't saying this is a bad movie but it's certainly not even close to what I would enjoy.
Lewis C
Super Reviewer
January 11, 2011
The Housemaid is a South Korean thriller about a maid who is seduced by the husband of the family she was recently hired by, and then menaced and manipulated by the women of the house once they find out she's pregnant. It's a pretty good movie, but very sad.
deano
Super Reviewer
August 11, 2011
Jeon Do-yeon deserves all the acting accolades she has received thus far for her role, and we feel the pain she has to go through in having traumatic experiences forced upon her just because she's in no position to bargain, until the defining moment in the finale where she gains the upper hand but at what a price at scarring the family for life. Actor Lee Jungjae wraps the cocky arrogance and entitlement of his character so naturally. And An Suhhyun, as the observant daughter, is remarkable for a child actor, capturing a surprising distance with her huge eyes.
This Korean sexy thriller film looks gorgeous, a combination of Fatal Attraction. Immediately notable is the immensely gorgeous mansion-set for the film, the beautiful costumes and Im's drenching of every shot in a kind of elegant style that really captures well the world of the elite that Eunyi wanders into. Interestingly enough, it's in stark contrast to the bustle of the "real world" that Eunyi lives in before her move and I think that's a really effective technique.
Jeon Do-yeon deserves all the acting accolades she has received thus far for her role, and we feel the pain she has to go through in having traumatic experiences forced upon her just because she's in no position to bargain, until the defining moment in the finale where she gains the upper hand but at what a price at scarring the family for life. Actor Lee Jungjae wraps the cocky arrogance and entitlement of his character so naturally. And An Suhhyun, as the observant daughter, is remarkable for a child actor, capturing a surprising distance with her huge eyes.
skactopus
Super Reviewer
October 18, 2010
Sang-soo Im's The Housemaid is a Korean thriller that doesn't do much in the way of thrilling.The story is a slow burn and there is be a lot of buildup for every major event. The first portion is heavy on the sexual content, while the consequences of these actions are put to the test in the second half. It isn't that the film lacks any entertainment value, but the surprises are few and far in between.The luxurious settings of the film are a highlight and the camera work is also a plus. On the flip side, the characters are a problem. Over time the antagonists and the protagonists eventually become clear, yet it is difficult to root for any of the characters.Do-yeon Jeon's performance is noteworthy. She brings both a mature and a childlike nature to her character. Seo-Hyeon Ahn is adorable as Nami and the rest of the supporting cast deliver acceptable performances.The Housemaid does deliver a surprise for the finale, which is quite good. Unfortunately, it is a long road to get there. This film isn't a waste of a viewing, but it is not something to alter a schedule for.
Harlequin68
Super Reviewer
February 6, 2011
"The Housemaid" is an unsettling movie that could have definitely used a better ending. As it is, it is exquisitely filmed with an excellent use of widescreen photography, especially with one shot that involves Hoon observing both Haera and Eun-yi at the same time. That fits in nicely with the movie's themes of voyeurism, but not always in a sexual sense. Everybody is watching everybody else in the household which is not meant to be a criticism of the rich, by the way. Look at the prolonged opening scene when nobody notices the woman jumping to her death which could have saved her life. As it is, Mrs. Cho's complaint is about the family, not the wealthy, and Eun-yi says there is no difference in having sex with a rich man, except the compensation. The trouble with this family stems from Haera's mother(Ji-young Park) who is a true piece of work, but evil as she is, I understand what her motivation is and where she is coming from. Now, if only the same could be said for the mystifying epilogue, unless in a very roundabout way, it is meant to be a commentary about a very specific family.
In "The Housemaid," Mrs. Cho(Yeo-Jong Yun) is very thorough in the hiring of maids and has only chosen Eun-yi(Do-yeon Jeon) after thoroughly consulting her resume and references, plus entering her apartment unannounced. That's because she works for a very wealthy couple who have one daughter, Nami(Seo-Hyeon Ahn), while Haera(Seo Woo) is very, very pregnant with twins. Thanks to her kind nature, Eun-yi fits in the household very nicely while it is Hoon(Jung-Jae Lee), the master of the household, who takes the most interest in her, especially on a trip to the mountains.
"The Housemaid" is an unsettling movie that could have definitely used a better ending. As it is, it is exquisitely filmed with an excellent use of widescreen photography, especially with one shot that involves Hoon observing both Haera and Eun-yi at the same time. That fits in nicely with the movie's themes of voyeurism, but not always in a sexual sense. Everybody is watching everybody else in the household which is not meant to be a criticism of the rich, by the way. Look at the prolonged opening scene when nobody notices the woman jumping to her death which could have saved her life. As it is, Mrs. Cho's complaint is about the family, not the wealthy, and Eun-yi says there is no difference in having sex with a rich man, except the compensation. The trouble with this family stems from Haera's mother(Ji-young Park) who is a true piece of work, but evil as she is, I understand what her motivation is and where she is coming from. Now, if only the same could be said for the mystifying epilogue, unless in a very roundabout way, it is meant to be a commentary about a very specific family.
John B
Super Reviewer
May 29, 2013
An interesting look at a housemaid who is exploited into becoming a lover for the man of the house. There are some interesting changes in the power of each of the actors over the other.
Fascade F
Super Reviewer
November 6, 2011
A rather moving story of a young woman Eun-yi (Jeon Do-Yeon) who is hired to be a maid for an extremely wealthy family. As fate would apparently have it, the wife Hae-Ra (Woo Seo) is expecting twins for her husband Hoon (Lee Jung-Jae). Unknown to the expecting wife is the husband's philandering ways. Soon enough it comes home to her in a rude an unexpected way. How the wife handles the situation and whom the accomplice is in the husband's nasty habit is of no surprise...but the way the victim acquires revengeis most shocking. Make an attempt to see this. It is stimulating for the senses.
Christopher B
Super Reviewer
February 23, 2011
Beautifully shot thriller which examines the class system and patriarchal South Korean society. The director handles everything superbly up until the last couple scenes, but that being said, this is easily recommended. Watch along with South Korea's Bedevilled for 2 different revenge movies (with roughly the same motives) and examinations on the male dominated society.
John2223
Super Reviewer
January 28, 2011
"The Housemaid" is a stylish movie from Korean and interesting in most parts, specially the social criticism, but the movie is lacking of power at telling the story and for instants it seems you are watching a Mexican soap opera..
muveekween
August 6, 2012
I liked this movie..it wasn't great or anything but it definitely kept me interested all the way. Sexy thriller and excellent cinematography. Would watch again. Good foreign thriller.
May 1, 2012
the box says "a sexy thriller" sexy yes in parts thriller not at all just a drama with a little revenge flick mixed in
February 11, 2011
This movie is worse than my expectations. I heard the acting is great even if the story isn't, but their acting doesn't even impress me. The main actress is too flirty to look "innocent". She doesn't make the innocent look. Instead, she made the seductive and slutty look most of the time. Of course, at times, you can see that she actually NEEDS to act being innocent. It just doesn't convince me. I guess she is trying to be both, and she does act being both, but it still doesn't match up in my mind. I know how an innocent Asian girls look, and I also have had maids, including innocent ones and flirty ones who got knocked up by one of our construction workers. Anyway, for all the slow pace beginning to the build-up, the ending is disappointingly short and simple. Dramatic indeed, however too simple. I'm not blaming it nor I have any idea of how to change it. But the representation could be a little longer maybe, and make the pace a little faster in the beginning. There aren't many surprises nor anything shocking in this movie. I don't know. This movie is just not for me.
Monkey freak
March 4, 2013
Great flick about love, hate, deception and power. The directing is very aesthetic, minimalism is in order. The end is very melodramatic (korean's love it). Really nice performance from the actors. Not a must see but good entertainment.
February 22, 2013
It's funny because everything about the movie shouts "true filmmaking". Nevertheless, the narrative simply touches upon the characters' struggles and that's it. This movie isn't here to teach people not to do certain things and it isn't here to thematically stir audiences emotions; this movie is simply here to tell its narrative, which is much of the case for a profuse amount of Korean films, but ever more so with "The Housemaid". Once the credits roll, it seems nothing more than just a shallow but twisted movie that is easily forgotten except for its credible filmmaking craftsmanship.
So if its absolutely devoid of any substance aside from the production value, how is "The Housemaid"'s narrative? Is it entertaining? I guess so. It's gonna give you thrills, chills, and tension. It's also gonna give you strange goosebumps and surprises not because it's a great horror flick, but because of the audacious and extremely black raw sexuality that it throws viewers. C'mon now... it's almost like a cheap scare. Throw in some taboo-breaking content and you got yourself a shocking movie. That to me, is cheap. It draws you, but I was certainly squirming in my seat -- not cause I'm a pansy, but how deep "The Housemaid" chooses to let characters get sucked into a pitch black world of lies, deceit, hatred, and sexuality.
At the end of the day, "The Housemaid" is a stylish but extremely raw sexual movie. It's a movie about sex. That's about it. You think "Black Swan" was raw? LOL "The Housemaid" is stomping all over it, and its all its got: Mesmerizing cinematography and a taboo-shattering narrative. I ain't saying this is a bad movie but it's certainly not even close to what I would enjoy.
This may surprise you but "The Housemaid" is superbly made. Wow, the cinematography was absolutely gorgeous; excellent camerashots riddled all over this film. It's so sublime in fact that it leaves room for this movie to be identified as an art-house movie, but sadly, there isn't much to the movie except for eerie and surprising perversion, sickening revenge, and a twisted narrative.
It's funny because everything about the movie shouts "true filmmaking". Nevertheless, the narrative simply touches upon the characters' struggles and that's it. This movie isn't here to teach people not to do certain things and it isn't here to thematically stir audiences emotions; this movie is simply here to tell its narrative, which is much of the case for a profuse amount of Korean films, but ever more so with "The Housemaid". Once the credits roll, it seems nothing more than just a shallow but twisted movie that is easily forgotten except for its credible filmmaking craftsmanship.
So if its absolutely devoid of any substance aside from the production value, how is "The Housemaid"'s narrative? Is it entertaining? I guess so. It's gonna give you thrills, chills, and tension. It's also gonna give you strange goosebumps and surprises not because it's a great horror flick, but because of the audacious and extremely black raw sexuality that it throws viewers. C'mon now... it's almost like a cheap scare. Throw in some taboo-breaking content and you got yourself a shocking movie. That to me, is cheap. It draws you, but I was certainly squirming in my seat -- not cause I'm a pansy, but how deep "The Housemaid" chooses to let characters get sucked into a pitch black world of lies, deceit, hatred, and sexuality.
At the end of the day, "The Housemaid" is a stylish but extremely raw sexual movie. It's a movie about sex. That's about it. You think "Black Swan" was raw? LOL "The Housemaid" is stomping all over it, and its all its got: Mesmerizing cinematography and a taboo-shattering narrative. I ain't saying this is a bad movie but it's certainly not even close to what I would enjoy.
December 9, 2012
One of the best movies I have seen in a long time. Loved it! great story line, and unpredictable!
lasttimeisaw
August 14, 2012
The karma has its default value from the beginning, which startles its audience with a young girlâ(TM)s suicidal jump, prefigures the ominous fate of our protagonist, whose standpoint has been intentionally set as more of an aroused innocent (suggesting by the tantalizing finger foreplay from the male part and a waiting-naked seduction from the female part) than an adultery victim thanks to a modern metabolism which signifies female is not always the submissive counterpart of the male-dominant society. But the comprehensive tone is much or less conflicts with this setting, with would cause some ambiguous reading of the abruptly dark ending (the final birthday scenery has a moderately sidestepping deviation which cannot gratify an sublimating closing.
The film strives to distill the trite storyline (with some patent slips, e.g. the medicine swapping is cursorily done, at least taking away some original potions to keep the amount even) and saves more spatial elasticity to its actors, and the most profitable beneficiaries are Do-yeon and Yeo-jeong, both shoulder the filmâ(TM)s strength against banality elsewhere. Do-yeon also outshines in the graphically daring sex scenes with the over-beefy Jung-Jae Lee; while Yeo-jeong is the thunder-stealer here, endowing a supporting role with a show-stopper weightiness.
I have quite a few storage of South Korean DVDs (mostly recent ones) which I am pretty eager to watch, THE HOUSEMAID is not in the top-tier, but one thing is certain, I am hunting the original version now.
A remake of a classic masterpiece is always been a thankless task, but since half a century has passed since 1960, when Ki-young Kimâ(TM)s original version came out, it is a considerable and understandable timing to do it against all odds. With the A-list actress Do-young Kim on board, at least, tedium has been successfully blocked entirely through its 106 minute running time, plus I am plain oblivious to Ki-youngâ(TM)s version, so no prejudice by preconceived ideas will hobble my judgement.
The karma has its default value from the beginning, which startles its audience with a young girlâ(TM)s suicidal jump, prefigures the ominous fate of our protagonist, whose standpoint has been intentionally set as more of an aroused innocent (suggesting by the tantalizing finger foreplay from the male part and a waiting-naked seduction from the female part) than an adultery victim thanks to a modern metabolism which signifies female is not always the submissive counterpart of the male-dominant society. But the comprehensive tone is much or less conflicts with this setting, with would cause some ambiguous reading of the abruptly dark ending (the final birthday scenery has a moderately sidestepping deviation which cannot gratify an sublimating closing.
The film strives to distill the trite storyline (with some patent slips, e.g. the medicine swapping is cursorily done, at least taking away some original potions to keep the amount even) and saves more spatial elasticity to its actors, and the most profitable beneficiaries are Do-yeon and Yeo-jeong, both shoulder the filmâ(TM)s strength against banality elsewhere. Do-yeon also outshines in the graphically daring sex scenes with the over-beefy Jung-Jae Lee; while Yeo-jeong is the thunder-stealer here, endowing a supporting role with a show-stopper weightiness.
I have quite a few storage of South Korean DVDs (mostly recent ones) which I am pretty eager to watch, THE HOUSEMAID is not in the top-tier, but one thing is certain, I am hunting the original version now.
