Review of The Maiden Heist (2009) by V H — 13 Dec 2009

Raquel has worked as a live-in maid for the same Chilean family for over twenty years. She?s helped raise their four children ? a college-aged daughter named Camila, a teenage boy named Lucas, and a couple of little kids. She cooks, she cleans, she does just about everything. She?s sort of a member of the family, but not quite.

The film begins on Raquel?s 41st birthday. As the family dines in the next room, she eats her meal privately in the kitchen. When they?ve finished eating, they secretly light candles on a birthday cake and bring out presents. Then they ring the little bell to summon Raquel back into the room so they can surprise her. She hears it but ignores it. At first I thought she was annoyed that the family wouldn?t let her finish her dinner in peace, but it turns out that she?s on to the ?surprise? and is embarrassed by the unwanted attention. No doubt the same scenario plays out year after year.

Raquel and Camila don?t get along. I assume they did when Camila was little, but now that she?s older, things have deteriorated to the point of open hostility. Raquel intentionally vacuums outside of Camila?s room in the morning when she knows she was up late the night before. Camila screams at Raquel that she?s ?just the maid?. Camila complains to her mother, Pilar, but Pilar couldn?t possibly fire Raquel. She?s part of the family?sort of.

Raquel suffers from terrible headaches. She?s constantly popping pills to alleviate them but they?re so bad, she can barely even sleep. Pilar decides to hire another maid to assist her. Raquel says no, she doesn?t need help, but Pilar goes through with her plan anyway, hiring a nice young Peruvian girl. Raquel sets about making the new maid?s life miserable ? locking her out of the house is her favorite tactic ? and it?s not long before the girl can?t take it anymore and she quits.

Next, on the advice of her mother, Pilar hire?s the mother?s own crusty old maid. This new maid is much meaner and tougher than the first one, so when Raquel pulls the same stunts with her, the new maid fights back ? literally. Unfortunately, the maid brawl causes serious collateral damage, and the new maid runs off before the family has a chance to sort out who?s to blame. Raquel 2, Challengers 0.

Despite her success in vanquishing all potential assistants, Raquel is clearly in need of some help. Her health continues to deteriorate until she finally collapses and gets rushed to the hospital. Once she?s home recuperating and too weak to fight back, Pilar hires yet another maid to take over some of Raquel?s duties. This time, things take a very unexpected turn.

The Maid is that rare sort of film where you keep thinking you know which way it?s heading, but it ends up surprising you completely. Not just once, but a couple of times.

The Raquel we see early in the film is a harsh, no-nonsense woman. The only one who can even get a smile out of her is Lucas, and that?s only on rare occasions. But as she becomes obsessed with trying to retain her position of control in the household, Raquel?s behavior quickly shifts from quirky and amusing to borderline insane. As she runs through the house clutching Camila?s new kitten, the only thing I could think of was Fatal Attraction. Kitty soup, anyone?

Without giving too much away, the most I can say is that Raquel becomes far less cartoonish as the film progresses. She just chooses to play her cards so close to her chest that at first, all anyone can see is the crazy lady. Though there was a point at which watching Raquel head toward the deep end was almost unbearable, The Maid ended up being one of the most satisfying films I?ve seen in a long time.