I remember seeing the movie poster of “The Housemaid” when we were in Hong Kong. Back then, we picked a Spanish film to watch instead. I am surprised. More often than not, films get released in Singapore earlier than in Hong Kong. When Omy.sg sent me a media invite to preview the movie, I eagerly said yes. I love watching Korean movies. More so, I love watching Jeon Do-yeon’s performance. “You Are My Sunshine” still breaks my heart every time I think about it.
“The Housemaid” is the type of film that the ending may disorientate you. And I am sure there are more than one way to interpret the story. Without giving out spoilers and if you do watch this film, pay attention to the seemingly irrelevant beginning and the bizarrely surreal ending and see if that warrants a valid connection. There are details such as the housemaid’s burnt mark (that was not explained), her mother’s tomb (what about her father?), and some seemingly out of the sort one-liner dialogs – all of which that may or may not contribute to the story, entirely up to your interpretation. For me, I love this aspect of the movie. Having said so, I could imagine if one is to ignore these bits and pieces of seemingly irrelevant details, the thriller itself may not be as compelling. Because of the lack of resolution in almost all fronts.
“The Housemaid” is a drama that takes place mostly inside a very rich household. A family needs a young housemaid (hence Jeon Do-yeon) to help out with the housework and the upbring of the family’s young daughter. A young and pretty wife who is pregnant with a twin. A young and handsome husband who possesses of chest muscles that even I admire (from a bodybuilding point of view!). And there is an old housemaid who keeps things running smoothly inside this gigantic house. Later on, the mother of the young wife also comes into the picture. The plot centers upon how these characters interact with one another, love and hate one another. Solid acting, I enjoy watching. And as for the sex scenes, I think they are artistically done (albeit a bit comical in parts). Pretty much like the rest of the movie. Jeon Do-yeon plays the role of an innocent and good hearted housemaid. Trust me. You will feel for her.
“The Housemaid” will be opened in Singapore this Thursday (Nov 11). Below is the trailer.