Jack McCoy, the crusading New York City prosecutor played by Sam Waterson on the TV series Law & Order, once cynically noted that the wealthy live by a completely different set of rules than the rest of us. He pointed out that the rich pretty much did whatever the hell they wanted, without fear of facing the consequences for their actions--actions which, in that particular episode of L&O, included murder. The Housemaid, the new South Korean thriller that’s a remake of a 1960 film, offers a similar indictment of the wealthy, as seen through the eyes of Eunyi (Jeon Doyeon), a naïve young woman who happily goes to work for a rich family as their nanny/housemaid.
Under the icy guidance of the senior maid, Byungshik (Yoon Yuhjong), Eunyi
quickly settles into her routine of caring for little Nami (An Suhhyun), the
adorable little girl who takes a shine to her right away. Eunyi helps the mother,
Haera (Seo Woo), who’s pregnant with twins, with her exercises and even serves
the family their meals and drinks. But it’s Eunyi’s relationship with the husband
Hoon (Lee Jungjae) that becomes the focal point of the film. Accidentally walking
in on a stripped down Eunyi while she’s cleaning the tub, Hoon abruptly begins
an affair with the young maid, seeking the sex that he’s unable to get from his
pregnant wife.
The DVD cover art makes this film look like a dark thriller in the style of Alfred Hitchcock. But it’s really more of a somber drama that becomes a dark thriller once the rich family realizes that Eunyi is pregnant. The battle of wills--and nerves--over the fate of her unborn child, whom Eunyi wants to keep, shows just how far this family will go to maintain the status quo. At one point, Byungshik, the veteran maid who has seen it all, warns Eunyi to just leave without giving notice, because, she says, "these people are very scary." The wealthy are portrayed here as being master manipulators (Hoon always makes sure Eunyi drinks plenty of wine during their trysts) as well as predators.
But what’s interesting is that director Sang-soo Im doesn’t let her characters become flat, one-dimensional caricatures. Haera is shown to be sincerely hurt at Eunyi’s betrayal, and one can certainly sympathize with her position--at least until she crosses the line with the aid of her black-hearted mother, a true viper who will stop at nothing to protect her daughter’s interests. Still, the systematic defiling of Eunyi--a woman so innocent she’s seen skipping merrily around the mansion at one point--is both fascinating and repulsive to watch. Not all wealthy people are evil, to be sure, but the film shows how an unhealthy sense of entitlement, backed by the power of money, can be a deadly combination. --SF
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