SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC4) — Some movies want you to sit back. “The Housemaid” wants you leaning forward, gripping the armrest, whispering “oh no,” and loving every second of it. That is exactly how director Paul Feig designs his films, not as background noise, but as full-body experiences meant to be shared in a crowded theater. In conversation with Rotten Tomatometer-approved film critic Patrick Beatty, Feig talks about crafting thrillers that invite gasps, laughs, and morally questionable cheering, blending dark subject matter with just enough fun to make audiences squirm in the best way possible.
Paul, it is such a pleasure to meet you. And I’ve loved watching this film in a packed Utah theater, no less. You’re single-handedly bringing sexy back to our state, so I appreciate that.
Paul Feig: My pleasure. I shot a movie there, once. And then I was in a movie that was shot there. So I love Salt Lake. It was a movie called “Unaccompanied Minors” back in 2006, and it was a Christmas movie about kids trapped in an airport. So yeah, we were all over Salt Lake…