The Housemaid

Im Sang-soo's The Housemaid, a loose remake of the 1960 Kim Ki-young classic, is a beautifully made tale of class conflict, infidelity, and madness. Jeon Do-youn follows up her astounding performance in Secret Sunshine with another expert turn here, as the titular housekeeper. Eun-yi is a naïve and lonely woman who gives into the sexual advances of her obscenely wealthy new boss, Hoon (Lee Jung-jae), to find herself the victim of the ruthless machinations of Hoon's wife (Seo Woo) and domineering mother-in-law (Park Ji-young). Eun-yi discovers a potential ally in an older maid, Cho (Youn Yuh-jong), but Cho has her own divided loyalties. The Housemaid is a timeworn tale, but Im tells it with a lithe opulence, and throws in a few unexpected turns. The incredible size and impeccably tasteful décor of Hoon's estate is captured by Im's graceful camera as it glides through the set. These are people of extreme privilege and power, and the guileless Eun-yi is no match for them. Im also masterfully depicts Hoon's seduction of the willing Eun-yi. The film's startling resolution may leave some unsatisfied, but Im has fashioned a gorgeously shot, erotically charged, and boldly entertaining melodrama.