Don’t let the title discourage you into thinking that “The Housemaid” is two hours of monotonous depictions of domestic labor. The film, starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, portrays an au pair situation that’s anything but usual.

For one, Sydney Sweeney steps out of her controversial American Eagle ad and into a brilliant performance as Millie Calloway, a manslaughter convict on parole who lives in her car. When a wealthy household offers her a position as a live-in housekeeper, it seems Millie has finally caught a break. But her life doesn’t look up for long before it plummets into hell.

Questions arise at this point. How does her new employer, Nina Winchester (Seyfried), fail to see through her fabricated resume? Why does Nina’s husband, Andrew Calloway (Brandon Sklenar), seem surprised by news of Millie’s arrival?

Things are going great for Millie. She lives in the dream attic room of a dollhouse estate. Her responsibilities, cleaning for a pristine family and watching after the charming daughter (Indiana Elle), are simple. What could possibly go wrong?

The dream shatters when Nina destroys the kitchen in search of her PTA notes and pins the blame on Millie. Nina continues to demonstrate concerning behavior, but her antics only seem to draw Andrew closer. 

The couple’s turmoil continues to test Millie’s sanity, along with that of the viewer, as suspicions rise with each life-or-death obstacle thrown Millie’s way. Forced to meet her probation requirements, Millie will do just about anything to keep her job — even if it means losing her life. 

As the movie progresses, Millie’s role evolves from housemaid to mistress to housewife. In the final scene, she takes up an entirely different position: a hitman. 

Without spoiling the fun, I ask that you consider this bold question with the conclusion of the film: Is Millie working out of necessity, or does Sydney Sweeney’s consequent character embody the ultimate modern woman?