'The Housemaid' is the best kind of trash

Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney face off with dirty secrets, all in good soapy fun.

- KATIE WALSH

SYDNEY Sweeney's Millie, left, is hired by Amanda Seyfried's mysterious Nina in Paul Feig's latest thriller.

(DANIEL MCFADDEN Lionsgate)

Director Paul Feig has proved himself to be the preeminent purveyor of the finest high-camp trash one can find at the movie theater these days — and that’s a compliment.

If he’s serving up the trash, then call me a raccoon, because I’m ready to dive in.

Feig’s special sauce when it comes to these soapy, female-driven thrillers like “A Simple Favor” and now “The Housemaid,” adapted by Rebecca Sonnenshine from a “BookTok” sensation by Freida McFadden, is clearly his comedy background. The filmmaker understands exactly the tone to deploy here; you can feel his knowing winks and nudges to the audience with every loaded glance, stray graze or wandering camera movement. It’s as if he’s saying to us and all the tipsy ladies in the audience: Check this out — LOL, right? LOL indeed, Mr. Feig.