In Japanese-occupied Korea in the 1930s, a girl is sent to serve as the handmaiden of a Japanese heiress living with her domineering uncle in a secluded estate. But the new maid has a secret. She has been recruited by a swindler posing as a Japanese count to help him seduce the lady to elope with him, in order to rob her and lock her up in a madhouse. The plan seems to proceed according to plan until the two women discover some unexpected emotions.
The new film by Park Chan-Wook (Oldboy, Thirst) is a rare cinematic gem, combining an intricate and captivating plot (based on the novel Fingersmith by Sarah Waters) with Park's mesmerizing virtuosic visuals.