The Housemaid
Doing an elegant upholstery job on one of the key Korean films of the '60s, writer-director Im Sang-soo demonstrates an eye for luscious surfaces in The Housemaid. Not just a remake but a wholesale rethink of Kim Ki-young's deranged black-and-white classic, this high-end softcore thriller is juicily watchable from start to over-the-top finish, a luxe exercise in one-note nastiness. The new film reshuffles its sympathies entirely, setting its melodrama among a brood of wealthy vipers who think nothing of using and abusing the naive young woman they hire to cook and clean.
Best in show is the production design; pic was shot on a 2,300-square-foot set (the largest in Korean production history), all gleaming black-marble countertops and white porcelain bathtubs, the better to be artfully stained with blood when the key moment arrives. Lee Hyung-deok's lensing is outstanding, often bisecting the widescreen frame to fine effect.
– Justin Chang, Variety
Original name: Hanyo
Duration: 106 min
Dialogue: Korean
Subtitles: English
Age limit: K15
