Before Sydney Sweeney captivated audiences in The Housemaid, Amanda Seyfried starred in a similarly intense thriller called Chloe, directed by Atom Egoyan. This film, though often forgotten, is part of a genre of steamy thrillers that were popular in the ’80s and ’90s with movies like Fatal Attraction and Basic Instinct. While this type of movie faded away for a while, it’s now experiencing a resurgence, thanks to the success of films like The Housemaid and The Hunting Wives.
The 2009 film Chloe received mixed reactions from critics. It centers on a forbidden relationship between a married doctor and an escort, who is initially hired to test the doctor’s husband’s fidelity. What starts as a plan to catch a cheating spouse soon becomes a steamy love triangle, reminiscent of the sensational erotic thrillers popular in the past.
‘Chloe’s Steamy Premise, Explained
Chloe is a lesser-known but captivating erotic thriller, originally a remake of the 2003 French film Nathalie. The story starts in Toronto, introducing the Stewart family, who appear to have a perfect life. Catherine, a successful doctor, and David, a college professor, have a teenage son named Michael. Catherine begins to suspect her husband is being unfaithful after she sees a photo of him with a female student on his phone.
Catherine tries to prove her suspicions about her husband, David, by hiring Chloe Sweeney, a local courtesan she knows, to try and seduce him. Initially upset by the arrangement, Catherine finds herself becoming increasingly stimulated by Chloe’s detailed accounts of their encounters. However, during one of these reports, Chloe unexpectedly kisses Catherine, who is shocked and immediately leaves. Back home, David notices Chloe’s perfume on Catherine, making her furious. Driven by anger, she goes to the hotel to confront Chloe.
As a total cinema lover, I was really gripped by the scene at the hotel where Catherine asks Chloe to touch her like David did – it’s a turning point, let me tell you. What follows is a seriously intense and passionate encounter between them. Honestly, it reminded me of those classic, sophisticated erotic thrillers we used to get before Fifty Shades kind of… well, ruined things for the genre. Things get even more complicated from there, and if you were captivated by Amanda Seyfried in The Housemaid, you absolutely need to see how Chloe ends. It’s a wild ride!
‘Chloe’ Was Among the Last of a Dying Breed Before the ‘Fifty Shades’ Debacle
Sony Pictures Classics
Atom Egoyan is a well-known director of erotic thrillers, having successfully explored the genre in films like Speaking Parts, Exotica, and Where the Truth Lies. He created these films during the height of the genre’s popularity in the 1980s and 90s, alongside popular movies such as Dressed to Kill, Body Heat, Blue Velvet, Fatal Attraction, and many others.
Erotic thrillers were once very popular, but their appeal has significantly decreased over the last twenty years. This decline coincides with increased awareness and reckoning around issues of power and abuse in Hollywood, particularly following revelations about figures like Harvey Weinstein and the rise of movements like Time’s Up and MeToo.
Beyond the entertainment industry, younger people are reporting they’re having less sexual activity, and some describe the 2020s as a more reserved time. This shift, combined with other factors, has led to a decline in popularity for the steamy erotic thrillers common in the 80s and 90s. The poorly-received Fifty Shades of Grey films also played a significant role, effectively killing off public interest in the genre.
From 2015 to 2018, the Fifty Shades movies were more laughable than seductive. The films, starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan, were awkward, unromantic, and lacked any real chemistry. They essentially ended the erotic thriller genre, or at least severely weakened it for years to come.
While Chloe occasionally ventures into over-the-top territory, it’s significantly more sensual, engaging, and sophisticated than the Fifty Shades films, which were so unintentionally funny they inspired a parody, Fifty Shades of Black. Along with Chloe, movies like The Housemaid have the potential to revitalize the erotic thriller genre, and Amanda Seyfried deserves recognition for connecting these films.
The Erotic Thriller Genre Is Finally Coming Back in Hollywood
Sony Pictures Classics
I was so thrilled to see how huge The Housemaid became! With Seyfried and Sweeney, it made over $247 million worldwide on just a $35 million budget – amazing! And now Lionsgate is making a sequel, which is fantastic news. But it’s not just The Housemaid – I’ve noticed a real comeback for these kinds of thrilling, steamy movies lately. Think about films like May December, Babygirl, Bone Lake, Fair Play, Deep Water, Challengers, Pretty Thing, Miller’s Girl, and The Voyeurs – it’s a really exciting time for the genre!
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As a critic, I’ve noticed a definite trend on TV lately. Netflix really struck gold in 2025 with The Hunting Wives – it was a pretty steamy erotic thriller, and the numbers clearly proved it, earning an instant season two renewal. While nothing else quite reached that level of buzz or quality, we’ve seen a lot of similar titles popping up, like Obsession, The Couple Next Door, Fatal Seduction, Lady Voyeur, and a reimagining of Dangerous Liaisons. It’s a crowded field, to say the least.
Several new erotic thrillers are on the way, including Night Nurse, Teach Me, and Hancock Park. These series are bringing back a genre that was once known for being more sophisticated, especially in the ’80s and ’90s. If you’re a fan of erotic thrillers making a comeback—or if you enjoyed seeing Seyfried in The Housemaid—Chloe is a must-watch.
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2026-01-25 03:35