Recently, there was a box office hit called The Housemaid (2025), which made a lot of money. It adapted an erotic thriller that was a monster success spending weeks on the bestseller's list. People clearly liked the setup and twist. Plus, it put sexuality to the forefront in a way we haven't seen in mass media since Fifty Shades of Grey (2015). It's been about a decade, so a thirst had certainly built up. These kinds of erotic thrillers that are pulpy and somewhat trashy aren't new. It's material that we used to get regularly prior to the new millennium. Classic examples include Fatal Attraction (1987) and Basic Instinct (1992). A lot of this material migrated to cable television like Lifetime. Playwright-turned-film producer, Tyler Perry waded into those waters when he was cast in Gone Girl (2014), but he's produced and directed erotic thrillers that have mostly been targeted at African American audiences with titles, such as Mea Culpa (2024) or Divorce in the Black (2024). It's therefore no surprise to see Perry as a producer here. Perry isn't writing or directing, so the narrative doesn't go as bonkers as it could have, and perhaps maybe should have. The Housemaid was directed by Paul Feig who is known for his comedies like Bridesmaids (2011). Here, Malcolm D. Lee directs, and Lee is more known for his comedy series, The Best Man (1999). If one was trying to replicate the elements for The Housemaid but tailor it for Black audiences, it seems like all the right choices have been made for everyone behind the camera.
Chloe Bailey (Grown-ish and Meet the Browns) stars as Laila Calloway, a violinist who was part of an orchestra, but she had a bad moment while performing on stage. The bad moment stemmed from the fact that her sister died from an asthma attack and Laila witnessed it, unable to help. Laila is now haunted by that, which is why she had a bad moment on stage. She's been single for a while and her friends try to get her back out on the market. One night, she sees a very attractive man sitting alone in a diner. They end up hooking up in what seems like a one-nigh-stand, but when Laila is offered a job to be a tutor for a young girl needing piano lessons, her path crosses with the one-night-stand in a very shocking way.
Lynn Whitfield (The Chi and Greenleaf) co-stars as Audra Jelani, a very wealthy woman, but her wealth seems to come from her son-in-law. Her son-in-law was a very successful rapper who amassed a fortune, so much that he bought a mansion where Audra lives, along with her daughter and granddaughter. Her granddaughter has a piano recital coming up and needs a tutor in order to prepare. She hires Laila, despite Laila being known more as a violinist and not a pianist, but the job is a live-in position, which doesn't seem necessary, except that Laila is also tasked to be a kind of nanny and maid.
If one has seen The Housemaid, one can guess what will happen. Pretty much the same dynamic and plot points in that 2025 thriller are copied here, not exactly, but the feeling is certainly similar. The ultimate reveal is different and the themes are different. However, the parallels are undeniable. The Housemaid is more about an avenging angel and is ultimately about a desperate woman being used and abused. It was also about gaslighting to one degree or another. Here, this feature is about people bonding over trauma and how loss can affect people, as the death of Laila's sister proves to be a crucial aspect of how she engages with several of the others here, and how they engage with her, including Audra's granddaughter. As such, this film is also about legacy and what people might feel they are owed, as things are passed down from one generation to another.
Romy Woods, in her feature debut, plays Zuri, the granddaughter of Audra. She's preparing for a piano recital. She loves music because her late father loved music. When Laila first meets Zuri, the little girl is wearing an African, Zulu mask. It's a bit creepy. Given the opening scene, it's suggested that this story is going to be a horror film. When Zuri shows up in that mask, it feels like it's getting up to something sinister, such as the child being an instrument of evil. The opening scene suggests that supernatural elements will be at play. To the film's credit, it doesn't go there and use African folklore as the basis of evil events, which might have been perceived as a negative trope or stereotype. Having Zuri in the mask becomes a red herring that the child will be a source of conflict. That conflict never really manifests, though again the film could have benefited from such.
Anna Diop (Nanny and Us) plays Imani Walker, the daughter of Audra and the mother of Zuri. If this is The Housemaid, she's the equivalent to the Amanda Seyfried character or you think she's going to be the equivalent. Unfortunately, Diop doesn't get as much screen time to make her as effective or as interesting an antagonist as Seyfried does. Imani is suspicious of Laila, as Laila appears to be ingratiating herself and inserting herself into the family. There is a legitimate conflict that could've developed between Imani and Laila about how Laila connecting with Zuri is making Imani jealous. It could've resulted in a situation akin to The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992). It scratches that surface but doesn't go any deeper.
Lucien Laviscount (Emily in Paris and Katy Keane) rounds out the cast as Marcus, the sexy guy who is a staple in these erotic thrillers. He's not much more than eye-candy here. He's supposed to be the equivalent to Brandon Sklenar's character in The Housemaid who is certainly eye-candy in that film. Yet, that film gives Sklenar's character more dimensions. Marcus does have one intriguing moment, but the film blows by it without delving any further into it. In The Housemaid, there are things about Sklenar's character that aren't explained and we're supposed to accept that his behavior and motives are what they are. There are some hints as to Marcus' motives but again the film blows past them without delving any deeper.
Rated TV-MA.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 59 mins.
Available on Peacock.
