Metascore

Universal acclaim - based on 24 Critics What's this?

User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 26 Ratings

  • Summary: The Maid is an insightful comedic drama about family, class and self-discovery. (Elephant Eye Films)
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. The Maid would have been worthwhile just as a showcase both for good acting and for the director's virtuosity. But the movie's ultimate virtue is its humanity.
  2. At its midpoint, the film could go either way: toward "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" psychosis or something more hopeful and humanistic. It’s a testament to Saavedra’s tough performance that even with a happy ending, you wouldn’t want to leave her with your kids.
  3. Silva intends to keep us guessing, and it's fair to say he takes us in unexpected directions. But don't expect any flashy Hollywood twists. The surprises come from Catalina Saavedra's intense lead performance.
  4. Saavedra, in an incredibly vanity-free performance, never shies away from Raquel’s darkest edges and still forces us to empathize with the frustrations and stunted loneliness of a life lived in servants’ quarters.

See all 24 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. LindaN.
    10
    Unfortunately, most of the reviews I've read miss the point of this complicated, mutli-layered film about class. In Santiago, Chile there are an estimated 250,000 live-in maids who are probably living lives of the same quiet desperation as Raquel, the main character. What Silva has remarkably achieved is the intimate examination of how inequality debases the abused as well as the abuser. Such an intimate relationship between employer and employee brings into sharp focus what is wrong with such relationships that border on indentured slavery. Expand
  2. 10
    It's nice to watch a movie that leads you in one direction, then switches to another, and then switches yet again. Raquel has been a maid in the same household in Chile for 20 years. It shows. She's dour, sullen, angry, and the queen of passive aggressiveness. The wife of the household is a major enabler and keeps her on in spite of increasingly bizarre behavior. When new maids are hired to help Raquel out she makes life so uncomfortable they leave. Until one day a new maid arrives and instead of reacting to Raquel's spiteful acts and pulling away, she moves close and bonds with her and completely changes Raquel's behavior. Raquel blossoms. The question is will Raquel's change last without her new friend? Great acting, especially from the 2 maids! Expand
  3. PaulG
    8
    An absolutely amazing lead performance, with no shortage of other fine portrayals. I shudder to think about what an American studio would have done to this script. It keeps the audience off-balance and provides a sobering glimpse into the complex relationship between the haves and the have-nots in this world. Truly touching and disturbing at the same time. There are no villains and there are no heroes--much like real life. Expand
  4. BobK
    6
    I can't get as excited about this as the reviews I read before seeing it would suggest. It seemed overly long and borderline boring, making the same point multiple times. Expand

See all 6 User Reviews

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