‘The Housewife’ debuts as a thriller that follows the experience of an apparent 1960s American domestic life in Queens, while underlying deception and wrongdoing are gradually revealed. The film is directed by Ben Shirinian, in his feature debut, and stars Naomi Watts along with Tye Sheridan, Michael Imperioli, Luke Evans, and Lena Olin.
Both outlets describe the story as rooted in disturbing deception within everyday settings, with the plot involving a Nazi officer living in Queens. The initial premise draws attention, but the reviews diverge on execution. The Hollywood Reporter says the film begins promisingly and becomes increasingly generic, framing Watts’s performance as a standout element amid concerns about the film’s development and distinctiveness. IndieWire similarly highlights Watts’s performance as strong, but argues that the true-story material struggles under the film’s own weight, citing issues with the script and overall cohesion.
Across reviews, the main points of consensus are the cast and the chilling concept—evil concealed in ordinary domestic life—while both note that the film does not fully sustain the early tension.
