Film Review: The Housemaid

A Korean Hitchcook-esk film. Released in 2010, The Housemaid is a remake of the 1960s version. I did not see the 1960s version but I loved this version. It's not for children as it deals with sexuality and violence; there are also a few nude shots but not complete nudity. The few sex scenes are quite graphic so if you are squeamish about that sort of thing, this is not the film for you. (But it's so good; maybe you can just fast forward through the sex scenes.)


Eun-yi Li (played by Do-yeon Jeon, pictured above and left) is a poor girl working in a fish market and lives with her sister. The head maid of a wealthy estate visits her to offer her a job as a maid and she accepts. Upon arrival she meets the sulky and pampered wife, Hae-ra (played by Woo Seo, pictured left in the tub) who is pregnant with twins.The maid performs the task of a typical nanny/maid. She cleans, takes care of their daughter Namie (played by Seo-Hyeon Ahn, pictured below and right), and cooks. Hae-ra even has her hand wash her panties and Eun-yi respectfully does what she's told. Nami is an interesting little girl. She is unemotional and resistant at first but ends up having a deep affection for Eun-yi. When she eventually meets the man of the house, Hoon Goh, (played by Jung-Jae Lee, pictured above and right) he has asks her to sit down and chat. It is a brief introduction but there is something uncomfortable about the way he looks at Eun-yi. As the days pass, Hoon Goh sometimes catches Eun-yi cleaning and watches her or gives her glances too long to be considered glances. The camera brilliantly films Eun-yi in angles that almost forces the audience to objectify her which foreshadows events to come.

Eun-yi and Nami grow closer and closer to the point where Nami trusts her; the love that is exchanged between this nanny and child is very moving to watch. At one point, the family goes on a vacation and takes Eun-yi with them. Hoon Goh and Hae-ra decide to be intimate in their own private room but Hoon Goh isn't as satisfied as he would like to be considering that his wife is very pregnant and her endurance isn't what is used to be. He laughs it off but when everyone is asleep he tip toes to Eun-yi's room. She thinks it's Nami, of course, and doesn't cover up until she see it's her boss. There is no music and very few sounds. The audience cannot help but feel as nervous and anxious as Eun-yi. This scene was one of the most clever scenes in the whole film as it conveyed so many emotions in such a short amount of time.


After the trip, the two continue a secret affair. However, it isn't so secret until the head maid suspects she's pregnant and tells Hae-ra's mother (played by Ji-Young Park, pictured left on the right) This does not make her happy as she believes it is her job to ensure her grandchildren only come from Hoon Goh. She plots and schemes to find a way to remedy this problem without Hoon Goh finding out. The methods she uses are shocking and outrageous. It will certainly cause your jaw to drop.


The music score is awesome! It features a piano quintet (two violins, viola, cello, and piano) and it has a very playful Viennese feel to it. It's light and is mostly three, like a waltz, most of the time. I think it causes the film to be even more eerie because the content isn't playful and when it is juxtaposed by the lightness of the music, it only makes the film darker. At times the music seemed voyeuristic and hollow which was another great effect.

The Housemaid is a thrilling and suspenseful film with a tragic ending. I don't speak Korean but I've watched it so many times, I've memorized the English subtitles. I can watch it without the subtitles and remember what each character is saying. Check this treasure out and you may love it as much as I did too! .-_-

HUGE SPOILER ALERT BELOW

There have been a lot of disputes about the way this film ends and this is my explanation:

DON'T READ BEFORE WATCHING THE FILM

Nami has experienced a very traumatic event (so has the entire family) and I believe this has caused her parents to self medicate with alcohol. When they give her a glass of champagne for her birthday it only confirms their decline in parenting Nami responsibly. Why do they all of a sudden speak English? I think it has to do with the fact that they are more cultured now; they are still rich and are decadent in their spending so why not immerse themselves in the American culture. When Hae-ra sings Happy Birthday in a faux Marilyn Monroe style it is haunting and eerie especially when the ensemble enters with unrelated cacophonic harmony. What is puzzling is that the party takes place outside in the snow with a carpet and a few couches. I don't think this is literal. I think this is an attempt to symbolically convey Nami's internal mind and perception. Her stoic expression suggests dissociation to me; I think because of the trauma, she has slightly dissociated from reality and feels as if she doesn't have a home anymore. She's out in the cold and alone; even with her parents present.