‘Heretic’ is Surprising

Hugh Grant in Heretic | Credit: A24

Two Mormon missionaries meet their match when they try to evangelize a strange man.

Heretic is a lot of fun to watch. It’s a game of cat-and-mouse as the two missionaries are trying to navigate the impossible situation they find themselves in. At first, they are pleasant, trying to mask their clear discomfort. They remind Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant) of the rules (there needs to be a woman present with them) again and again, and he makes an excuse each time. Over time, they grow more distressed as they begin to understand that they are in a potentially unsafe environment. It begins with quick glances they share and eventually grows into them having a full conversation while he’s out of the room.

That slow burn as Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) begin to understand the gravity of their situation is really thrilling. We, as the audience, know that they are in danger (it is, after all, a horror film), but watching them arrive at that same conclusion is heartbreaking. And these two actresses do a great job of embodying all of the complex thoughts and emotions the characters are feeling in such a terrifying moment.

Still, the stand out of this film is Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed. This film doesn’t work without him.

I’m loving the trajectory of Hugh Grant’s career. Growing up, I was used to seeing him in rom-coms. While it was clear that he could act, he was also a charming British man with a great head of hair—that’ll take you far in that genre. But lately we’re seeing just how great of an actor he is.

What makes Hugh Grant’s performance as Mr. Reed so refreshing is that he has no sexual interest in either of these young women. And that comes across clearly. While you’re worried for these two young women for the entire runtime, I was never worried about them being sexually assaulted. Mr. Reed is terrifying, but he never crosses that line. With the main three characters being two young women in their twenties and a strange older man, the vibes could’ve easily soured. But the film never goes there.

Instead, Mr. Reed’s aim remains intellectual, valuing these women for the sake of their arguments and beliefs. This, to me, is what makes Heretic so exciting to watch.

Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East in Heretic | Credit: A24

Heretic explores some interesting religious themes and concepts, providing a lot to think about after the credits roll.

The film plays a lot with the origin of belief. What causes someone to believe in something? Do we believe because it’s how we were raised or what we were taught? How do we come to believe something over time?

Mr. Reed claims to be searching for the one true religion, but how do you know when you’ve found it? And how can you prove that one religion is more true than another? And what are we to do with so many overlapping stories and themes throughout centuries?

All of these are really interesting ideas to think about, especially if you were raised in religious spaces. The film also highlights the way that religion can be used to control believers. In the film, we see positive aspects of religion and negative aspects, too. It’s clear that the writers did thorough research on a number of different belief systems as they were writing this screenplay.

I had a really great time watching Heretic and was impressed not only by the subject matter and performances but also by how all of the technical aspects came together to emphasize the point. The production design is really incredible. Mr. Reed’s house is so intricate and detailed—I was really blown away by how it looks. It’s perfectly eerie. The score and cinematography also complement everything else that’s happening on the screen to create an immersive and frightening experience.

While there are horrifying elements of this, I can see how some horror fans might be a little underwhelmed. But, as a non-horror person who loves cerebral movies, this felt right up my alley.

Plus, Hugh Grant is exceptional in this—I wish he would’ve won more awards for his performance. It was masterful.