Early reactions to Paul Feig’s The Housemaid described a playful, campy opening that shifts into darker, more suspenseful territory. Those comments came from invited viewers ahead of the U.S. theatrical release, so they capture initial impressions—not a full review or a consensus. Later critics agreed the film mixes camp and thriller tension, but differed on how well its twists and changes to Freida McFadden’s novel work.
What is The Housemaid about?
Sydney Sweeney plays Millie Calloway, a woman trying to leave her past behind who takes a live-in housemaid job with wealthy spouses Nina and Andrew Winchester, played by Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar. Their polished household conceals dangerous secrets. Paul Feig directed the film, Rebecca Sonnenshine wrote the screenplay, and the story adapts McFadden’s 2022 novel of the same name. Rotten Tomatoes’ film listing identifies the adaptation and cast.
The film opened theatrically in the United States on December 19, 2025. It is rated R and runs 131 minutes, according to Rotten Tomatoes. The Associated Press describes the rating grounds as strong bloody violence, gore, language, sexuality and nudity, and drug use. It is therefore a lurid adult thriller, not an uncomplicated holiday film. The AP review discusses the film’s mature material.
What did the first reactions say?
JoBlo’s November 2025 roundup gathered posts from invited early viewers. Several described the same broad tonal movement: the film begins with stylized, playful camp, then grows darker and more tense. These are individual reactions, not a representative audience poll.
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- Jonathan Sim called it “A campy thriller that morphs into something dark and riveting with edge-of-your-seat tension. It will blow you away.”
- Scott Menzel wrote: “The Housemaid is WILD. The first half leans into camp in the best possible way. It is playful, stylish, and an absolute blast before the film takes a sharp, gripping turn that keeps you on the edge of your seat.”
- Tessa Smith called it “a wild, trippy, insane ride” and praised its faithfulness to the book while noting additions.
Smith’s longer reaction included the line: “An extremely faithful adaptation of the book, but with quite a few little additions for those of us that KNOW! I screamed, I cheered, I freaked out!” The comments point to the film’s gear shift without requiring a plot-spoiling explanation. JoBlo’s first-reactions roundup also notes praise for Seyfried and the soundtrack from The Distracted Tatiana.
How did full reviews qualify the early buzz?
Reviews published later in December were more divided about whether the movie’s ingredients come together. Screen International’s Nikki Baughan said the adaptation largely follows the book while changing aspects of Nina, Andrew’s mother, and key events. The Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney found the humor and twists less effective than their setup promised. The first-reviews coverage highlighted Seyfried, but the response was not uniformly enthusiastic. The Hollywood Reporter review addresses that more qualified response.
Rank #2
Associated Press critic Mark Kennedy saw the mix of camp, graphic violence, manipulation, and a mid-film reversal as part of the film’s appeal, awarding it 3.5 out of 4 stars. That is one critic’s rating, distinct from both the early social posts and Rotten Tomatoes’ changing aggregates. Kennedy’s AP review offers his assessment.
Why might viewers disagree?
The split is less mysterious when the film is considered along the same lines critics and early viewers emphasized:
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Rank #3
- Camp versus suspense: Viewers who enjoy a knowingly theatrical, humorous start may welcome the tonal shift; those seeking steady, serious suspense may find the contrast less effective.
- Novel fidelity versus adaptation choices: One early viewer called the film extremely faithful, while Baughan noted changes to characters and key events. A viewer’s reaction may depend on whether they want a close translation or are open to alterations.
- Performance versus the whole film: Seyfried’s work drew recurring praise, even where reviewers questioned the balance of the twists, humor, and thriller elements.
- Spoiler tolerance: Reactions allude to reversals and surprises. Readers who want to preserve those reveals can stick to general descriptions of the tonal change rather than searching for detailed reactions.
Where can you watch it, and what are the current ratings?
As accessed October 8, 2026, Rotten Tomatoes listed a 74% Tomatometer from 202 critic reviews and a 92% Popcornmeter from more than 5,000 verified audience ratings. These are live aggregates that can change, not fixed scores. The same listing gives a February 3, 2026 streaming release date and currently identifies Starz streaming and digital rental or purchase through Fandango. Availability varies by territory and can change; check the listing for your location. Rotten Tomatoes’ current film page carries the dated figures and availability information.
Is the book worth reading first?
McFadden’s The Housemaid is the source novel, so it is the natural choice for readers who want to compare the film’s character and event changes with the original story. If you would rather encounter the movie’s reversals without knowing the book’s version, watch first. Lionsgate announced development plans for a film sequel based on McFadden’s second book, The Housemaid’s Secret, on January 6, 2026; the announcement did not establish a specific tie-in edition or merchandise. Lionsgate’s sequel announcement provides that context.
Rank #4
What does the box-office response establish?
In its January 6, 2026 sequel announcement, Lionsgate said the film had earned more than $75 million domestically in its first 17 days and $133 million worldwide during its first two and a half weeks. Those are the studio’s dated figures at the time of the announcement, not lifetime totals. The company also attributed strong audience response to box office and social media, but that executive statement is not an independent measurement of audience opinion. The studio announcement is the source for both claims.
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