Paroled convict Millie Calloway takes a live-in maid position at a grand Long Island estate owned by the wealthy Andrew Winchester and his erratic wife, Nina. Tension quickly builds as Nina exhibits hostile behavior and erratic mood swings, eventually accusing Millie of professional incompetence. Despite the tense household atmosphere, an illicit romance blossoms between Andrew and Millie, leading them to sneak out for a secret theater date and an overnight hotel stay.
When Nina discovers their affair, she unexpectedly backs down and seems relieved by the separation. However, the household's dark reality soon surfaces. Andrew lures Millie into the sealed attic bedroom, drugs her, and locks her inside, revealing a sadistic streak. Viewers soon learn that Nina engineered Millie's hiring as part of an elaborate escape plan, hoping to expose Andrew's abusive nature and free herself and her daughter Cece from his tyrannical control.
What happens at the end of Housemaid?
Key takeaways
Millie turns the tables on Andrew by trapping him in the attic and forcing him to mutilate himself.
Nina and Millie manage to kill Andrew during a violent confrontation in the stairwell.
The authorities officially rule Andrew's death an accidental fall due to an officer's personal connection.
Millie ultimately accepts a new job offer from a woman whose husband appears similarly abusive.
The final act of Housemaid centers on the brutal confrontation inside the attic prison where Andrew has confined Millie. As punishment for breaking an heirloom plate, Andrew forces Millie to inflict self-harm with a porcelain shard. Once she wakes up, however, Millie turns the tables using a hidden knife provided by Nina.
She subdues Andrew and locks him inside the very room where he tormented her and his former wife. To secure his compliance, Millie uses pliers to make Andrew pull out his own front tooth, leveraging threats of destroying more family china and burning the building down. Millie also reveals her criminal past involves beating her roommate's rapist to death.
Meanwhile, Nina and Cece arrive, and Nina sneaks into the attic to assist. Andrew manages to break free and attacks both women. During the chaotic struggle, Millie pushes Andrew down the stairwell, resulting in his fatal plunge.
To cover up the homicide, Nina shatters a lightbulb to stage the scene as a DIY accident, then summons Enzo to help sanitize the area. A skeptical policewoman named Jessica Connors investigates the suspicious circumstances, but her sister was traumatized when once engaged to Andrew, leading her to officially close the case as a freak accident. Following the funeral, Nina hands Millie a large cash payout and departs for California with Cece.
In the story's final moments, Nina recommends Millie to a friend named Lisa. When Lisa hints that her own husband is abusive, Millie eagerly accepts the new housekeeping position, leaving her future open to interpretation.
What does the ending of Housemaid mean?
The ending of Housemaid strongly resolves themes of female solidarity, domestic abuse, and the cyclical nature of trauma and violence. One reading of the conclusion suggests that systemic oppression breeds its own form of justice, as abused women unite to dismantle their tormentor when legal systems fail them. Andrew represents institutionalized male control, gaslighting, and sadistic punishment, using confinement and fear to subjugate women.
By turning his own sadistic methods against him, Millie and Nina reclaim their agency. One interpretation of the final image of Millie accepting a job with another potentially abused woman is that despite surviving their immediate ordeal, the cycle of domestic danger and vigilantism may simply continue indefinitely.
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Where to watch Housemaid
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Housemaid ending FAQ
Why was Millie hired by Nina?
Nina hired Millie because she matched Andrew's exact type, hoping that an affair would cause Andrew to leave Nina alone and allow her to escape his abuse.
What was Millie's ten-year prison sentence for?
Millie was incarcerated for beating her roommate's rapist to death, which explains her underlying toughness and capability in violent situations.
How does Andrew die?
Andrew dies after Millie pushes him into the stairwell during a violent struggle in the attic, and Nina stages the scene to look like an accident.
Why does Officer Connors rule the death an accident?
Although Officer Connors finds the official statements unconvincing, her sister was traumatized when once engaged to Andrew, motivating her to report his death as a freak accident.
Does Millie change her life at the end?
While Millie receives money and a fresh start, she immediately takes a job with another woman who hints at having an abusive husband, leaving her ultimate path open to interpretation.
Where can I watch Housemaid?
Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads. Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home. Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home. Availability listed for region US and varies by country.
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