Maid is the new 10-episode Netflix series you are going to want to binge…mindfully. This series stars screen-legend Andie MacDowell and her daughter Margaret Qualley as the on-screen mother and daughter, Paula and Alex. The breathtaking backdrop of this story is set in the beautiful, ferry-filled, Pacific Northwest. Those of you from this upper left corner of the country may also recognize Seattle native Nick Robinson, who plays Sean the abusive boyfriend of Alex (Qualley). The film is inspired by Stephanie Land’s page-turning memoir, Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive.
Maid on Netflix
Broke and living in a women’s shelter, Alex begins cleaning houses to support herself and her three-year-old daughter Maddy. While I never needed to flee my home in the middle of the night, this story didn’t feel too far off from my own. I was also a very young, single mother, so it was easy for me to immediately connect with Alex’s can’t catch a break character. And this girl can’t catch a break.
It’s heartbreaking to watch as she fights her way through all of the paperwork and applications to get assistance from the state to help offset costs with daycare, food, and shelter. Sadly, the efforts that are portrayed in this film aren’t exaggerated or dramatized. Asking for help is hard, but jumping through all of the paperwork hoops for government assistance requires next-level patience and determination. Something I’ve also experienced firsthand.
I applaud the creators of this series and the unique way they really make you feel Alex’s point of view in very inventive ways. From the pain of having very little money, living paycheck to paycheck, to all of her strained relationships, you feel what she feels. Even the dollar store is out of her budget. Throughout each episode, the perspective of her narrative is told in very clever ways. Alex is the definition of Moxie.
DV
Alex’s denial that she is a victim of domestic violence is also one I understand intimately. Verbal abuse can be just as damaging, if not more, than physical violence. Determined not to return to the trailer life and her alcoholic boyfriend, Alex continues to pivot with each curveball that is thrown her way. Including asking for help from her undiagnosed bipolar mother Paula. (MacDowell)
Who’s Parenting Who?
As soon as we see Alex and Paula interact, we know that Alex has been the parent in that relationship for a long, long time. Paula at first comes across as a fun-loving and artsy gypsy that loves her life, but that takes a turn very quickly. In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, MacDowell described her character as a mean, difficult, and broken woman that she could relate to. “I have had so many dark experiences in my life, so I understand complexity. I know what mental illness is on a really deep level,” said the actress. “It wasn’t like I had to go out and do research. My life is my research.”
Sober Curator Pro Tip: Check out an interview HERE with Andie MacDowell, Margaret Qualley, and Nick Robinson from KING 5 Evening, a show local to the Pacific Northwest
Like Father, Like Boyfriend
“I drank too much. I went too far!” We hear Sean plead these words to Alex in episode one. As the story continues to unfold, we start to learn about Hank, played by Billy Burke, Alex’s absentee turned super religious father. They do not have much of a relationship.
It’s interesting to see in later episodes the similarities between Alex’s father Hank and Sean. They’ve connected in 12 step rooms and Hank claims he’s trying to help guide Sean through his sobriety. Why does it seem that even in the present day, when Alex really needs her father, he still can’t really be present?
Small Victories
The brilliance of this story is the little victories that happen in between the moments of pain. The heart of this story is a young woman who loves her daughter and will do whatever it takes to provide and protect her. It’s the story of a woman who gets knocked down by life but continues to get up again, over and over again. While this story may seem dark or bleak, I assure you it’s not. In fact, the only thing I think might be better than this series is a huge blue IKEA bag full of hundreds of My Little Ponies.
MOVIE NIGHT WITH THE SOBER CURATOR: Because it’s movie night and the feelings right, it’s movie night! Since you’re not binging on alcohol and drugs anymore, you’re going to need other activities to fill your time. Especially considering we are in the middle of a global pandemic. Get your binge on with movies and TV series that The Sober Curator recommends.
Pop the popcorn, grab your fav alcohol-free bevies or make your favorite mocktail, dish out your favorite treats and sweets, and settle in for some good old-fashioned cinema entertainment.
MOVIE NIGHT WITH THE SOBER CURATOR: Firefly Lane, starring Katherine Heigl, is a new TV series on Netflix that bundles together a storyline that includes life in Seattle media and friendships, along with underlying issues of mental illness, addiction, and sexual abuse. Like MAID, this film is also based in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
Resources are available
Resources Are Available
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulties surrounding alcoholism, addiction, or mental illness, please reach out and ask for help. People everywhere can and want to help; you just have to know where to look. And continue to look until you find what works for you. Click here for a list of regional and national resources.