The Housewife review – Naomi Watts is a secret suburban Nazi in an overcooked melodrama

Toronto film festival: the chilling true story of a woman who tried to hide from her wartime crimes gets turned into a strangely inert misfire The first scene of the 60s-set drama The Housewife is a closeup of a whistling kettle, an early “wink, wink” sign that we’re watching a story where tensions are set to boil but also that we’re watching a film of minimal subtlety.

Perhaps if it had been pitched closer to its adjacently named cousin The Housemaid , as a silly, sensationalist thriller, such heavy-handed decision-making would feel more well-suited.

But instead, while some scenes flirt with the idea of something juicier, this is a stuffy and stodgy slab of self-serious, old-school Oscar bait complete with all the shouting, crying, throwing and finger-pointing one would expect.

Think overcooked rather than slow simmer.

The Housewife is premiering at the Toronto film festival and is seeking distribution Continue reading...