For Uma Thurman and Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor, this promises to be a psychological thriller as they star in the intense new feature based on Joy Fielding’s bestselling novel, The Housekeeper, that promises to plunge audiences into a web of suspicion, obsession, and psychological tension. The two actresses are known separately for their on-screen presence, so this is already generating great attention in Hollywood.
It follows the character Hannah, played by Dynevor, a young woman whose life rapidly descends into darkness after she takes up employment as a housekeeper for the enigmatic and wealthy widow, Joan, played by Thurman. What initially turns out to be rather a simple job soon descends into sinister territory as Hannah discovers dark secrets about Joan’s past as well as the world around her. With psychological stakes ratcheted up at every turn, nothing—and no one—is quite what they seem in The Housekeeper’s tale.
This film brings her the opportunity to tread complex, sensitive emotional angles for mysterious Joan: all mystery, with layers of trauma and hidden motives. It is going to be very interesting to see how, within her usual vulnerability, she carries an intimidating aura that will really give a dark flavor to the atmosphere that the film tries to deliver.
Dynevor, who gained fame after her breakout role as Daphne Bridgerton in the Netflix series Bridgerton, has since been exploring the darker, more nuanced roles. Most recently, she can be seen in titles such as Fair Play, which depicted her diversification and willingness to take on the complexities of this psychological thriller. In the movie The Housekeeper, it is easy to notice that the naivety and curiosity of the character gradually grow into fear and suspicion-a process Dynevor is certainly fully prepared for.
From XYZ Films comes this thriller, pairing an experienced cast with The Girl on the Train director Tate Taylor, who has created suspenseful stories with powerful female lead characters. As the movie screenplay was adapted from Fielding’s novel, it captures an unsettling aspect of the novel as well as the suspense that is achieved through slow-and-building situations. With these two powerful actresses and a proven director, The Housekeeper looks to set a new standard in psychological thrillers.
Scheduled to begin filming at the start of next year, no date has yet been mentioned for its release. Meanwhile, many people already can’t wait to see this onscreen combination of Thurman and Dynevor, speculating that the movie might just revive the psychological thriller genre to break many box-office records.
