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Film reviews

Men In Black 3

It’s not a sequel that needed to be made, but thanks to the charm of its leads and a tone that harks back to the wit and humour of the original, it’s a pretty enjoyable trip.

Bel Ami

The excellent female support cast saves this patchy effort, which is let down by its leading man and a flat screenplay.

The Dictator

A disappointing, often repulsive and mean-spirited mess of a film with seemingly only one real criterion on its agenda: to shock and offend.

The Woman In Black

Packed with atmosphere, this old-fashioned but deftly told ghost story delivers ample chills and thrills.

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The Housemaid (Film)

by Ernesto Zelaya Minano | October 11, 2010 15:28 | Edited October 13, 2010 16:53

While elegantly made, this psychological thriller is let down by its unrealistic characters and over-the-top ending.

The Housemaid is a slow-burn psychological thriller which, despite abrupt changes in tone and lapses in logic, remains engrossing and elegantly made.

 

Eun-Yi, a cheerful and downtrodden young woman, takes a job as a nanny for a rich, upscale family, looking after them and caring for their young daughter. Things quickly turn ugly, however, when Eun-Yi begins an affair with the head of the house, and is thrust into a nightmare with a family that is anything but normal.

 

Do-Yeon Jeon does a phenomenal job in the lead role, even if her character is tough to get a handle on at times. Eun-Yi switches from being a helpless victim to scheming and manipulative, and back again; the actress' work thankfully still manages to successfully hint at complexities underneath the surface, enriching an already interesting character. There is the nagging question, however, of why Eun-Yi decides to stay with the family even after the ordeal that she's put through; the people in this film do not react to their situation like normal people, but rather as characters in a movie, which produces a disconnect with the audience.

 

Sang-Soo Im's intention is to criticise the social divide that exists between the rich and the poor. The family is amoral and cold, used to always getting what they want, and using money to solve all their problems. This carefree but empty lifestyle has the potential to corrupt anyone, even someone as seemingly innocent as Eun-Yi. This point is ultimately driven home with no subtlety whatsoever during a jarring, over-the-top and downright cruel ending which can be seen as either brave or infuriating, and makes this not a drama, but a dark social satire. This is ultimately the best way to approach a film like this; taken on these terms, it is solid and well made.