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On the surface, Alice (Kendra) seems like a woman who has it all: a gorgeous apartment, a booming career, a stunning physique, and a handsome boyfriend. The only problem is he’s married to someone else. Looking for a way to simplify her life, Alice hires Shelly to clean her house. As Alice begins to confide in Shelly about her illicit affair, their friendship grows… and so does Shelly’s twisted obsession with her new employer. It soon becomes clear that Shelly has motives that reach further than a normal cleaning lady. Shelly wants to cleanse Alice’s entire life and will stop at nothing until she’s done.
'The Cleaning Lady' tells the story of Alice who seems to have it all. Money, a beautiful apartment and a man who loves her enough to take her on a romantic trip to Italy but not enough to leave his wife for. Alice attends support group meetings in order to try and cleanse her life of him but so far it isn't working. One day she meets the buildings cleaning lady, Shelly. In a time of desperation she befriends Shelley and asks her if she wants a job cleaning out her apartment twice a week. Shelley is a quiet young girl who had a horrific childhood and she has the burn scars on her face to show it. Right from the start you can tell Shelley admires Alice's beautiful looks and you can also tell that she is a bit off her rocker as well.
'The Cleaning Lady' has one of the most disturbing opening scenes I have seen in some time. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense at first but it does as the story moves along. The film is more a psychological thriller than an actual horror so do not go into it thinking you are going to get a slasher film. The film is more about the characters and what is going on with them now and it Shelley's case in the past as well. As obsessed and deranged as Shelley is I still could not help but feel sorry for her a bit, even with the awful things she does. Her horrific childhood made her who she is and the film does a great job of filling us in on all that through flashbacks.
I am not going to go into details so not to ruin the film for those waiting to see it but I will say that it is a well-written thriller from Alexis Kendra who also stars in the film as Alice and Jon Knautz who directs the film as well. As far as the acting goes it is top notch. The entire cast is terrific but it is Alexis Kendra and Rachel Alig who plays Shelley that lead the way with amazing performances. Rachel Alig's performance is amazing. She really does a fantastic job playing this mentally and psychically damaged young lady.
'The Cleaning Lady' may not be the most original film of its kind but it is a solid thriller with lots of mystery early on and the tension and suspense grows with each scene. Chilling and upsetting at the same time the film grabs your attention right from the start and it keeps you glued to the screen all the way to the end. I had a good time watching this bothersome and entertaining film. If you like a good thriller then this is for you. 'The Cleaning Lady' has everything going for it including a great cast and just the right amount of violence and edginess. It gets in your head and under your skin and it stays there long after it is over. The film will be available on DVD, VOD and Digital HD June 4th so be sure to check it out.
Released by RLJE Films
**** Out Of *****