The Housekeeper is a film about a killer maid and yes, she is quite the disturbed and disturbing person  When all was said and done though, the movie belonged to Jackie Burroughs who would star as a born-again religious zealot and of course, friend to said killer housekeeper.

It all begins in the past when a little girl is traumatized at school for not being able to read when it cuts to the present and the little girl is now grown up and still living at home with her abusive father. Now, he may not be physically abusive but words can cut quite deep and there is a point where Eunice has had enough and she kills the old man. With the help of a friend, she gets a job as a maid for a family in the States and while all goes well for the most part, things start to unwind when she is called upon to complete tasks that require her being able to interpret words on paper. When Eunice meets former prostitute Joan, her insanity deepens and life around the house begins to get unpleasant for all involved.

Under the radar is not description enough for this little gem of a film directed by Ousama Rawi as one sees it mentioned exactly nowhere when people talk about horror. There could be multiple reasons for it, one of those being that it seems to have had a budget of exactly nothing and thus received little to no marketing when it first premiered. Another might be its lack of star power but that would not keep this picture down and out, instead, it would rise like the pheonix bright and glorious to entertain its audience which is more than surprising when one first puts it on. There is a moment where it seems like this movie is going to be a dud, but after Eunice as played by Rita Tushingham kills her dad, it definitely intrigues one to venture further and the deeper Eunice entrenches herself into her new life, the more captivating it gets.

Most of the horror within is perceived rather than seen. The mood, the atmosphere, and the attitudes of both Tushingham and Burroughs are what one remembers long after the movie is over. People die and it is often quite violent, but there are a thousand movies or more filled with violent deaths, it is the character of those who are doing the killing that often makes it more memorable. Eunice is tortured and was tortured for most of her life by a father who seemingly cared little for her. One feels bad for her even after she kills because it is almost as if she has to at this point. It lets her escape and it gives her a bit of power over a life where she feels she has little. On the other hand, Joan is maniacal at the best of times and Burroughs should have received an Oscar nod for her role in this film. She takes crazy to another level and unlike Eunice, one does not have any empathy for her in the slightest. If there was a villain in this movie, it was Joan and if there were a victim, it was Eunice.

Some movies can surprise and The Housekeeper did just that. The middle might have dragged on for a little bit, but it was a necessary evil to establish both Joan and the events which would lead to the slaughter at the end of it all. Aside from that slight negative, this was a fun watch and a gem that is worth seeking out.

3 out of 5