Stark and visually striking, “The Housemaid” revisits a classic, 50-year-old film of the same name. With a plot that has fueled thousands of pornographic tales, the Korean film that opens today has some nudity, more sex and a story of wealth, stealth and revenge all sitting as the whipped cream atop a milkshake of wealth, family, servants and flat-out sexual domination.
Eun-yi (Jean Do-yeon), a poor girl from the provinces, goes to work for a family whose paternal figure, Hoon (Lee Junbg-jae), seems to have limitless wealth and power. There are minions to carry his briefcase, drive his car, make his tea. By himself, he carefully opens and decants bottles of wine, and skillfully plays the piano. He has a beautiful wife (Seo Woo), bountifully pregnant with twins, a daughter of 8 or 9 and a regal, dominating mother (Park Ji-young) who believes that money can solve all problems. One is unsolvable: Mrs. Cho (Yun Yeo-jong) is the long-time lead servant who feels threatened by the younger, prettier newcomer.
Writer-director Im Sang-soo uses lots of low-angle shots, emphasizing distance and mostly keeping the viewer at a long arm’s length from the action. With the almost-empty house, and a minimum of antiseptic modern furniture, a huge fake fireplace dominates the living room.
Hoon soon casts an covetuous eye on Eun-yi, and she is not an unwilling participant. When Mrs. Cho discovers the goings-on, and makes sure the women learn about them, the plot, as they say, begins to thicken. Tension is high, and Im keeps it so with a sure hand. The story may be old, but the filmmakers make sure it has almost-fresh appeal.
The Housemaid opens today at Plaza Frontenac
—Joe