Hugh Grant has had an incredible career. He’s the face of iconic romantic comedies like Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Bridget Jones‘s Diary, and Love Actually. However, he’s rebuilt himself as a character actor, and whether he’s an Oompa-Loompa in Wonka or Tony the Tiger in Unfrosted, he’s always entertaining to watch. He’s no stranger to villains, having played them in Paddington 2, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and Operation Fortune. Now, he plays a Heretic in a brilliantly crafted horror thriller from A24.
Heretic begins with two Mormon girls, played by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East, going door to door trying to tell everyone about their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The dialogue is excellent, sensitively portraying them as a bit out of touch from people of other denominations as they discuss topics like pornography and sex. The screenplay only works because it doesn’t judge the characters; other characters judge them, and we have small moments with them to see not only their friendship but how stuff like The Book of Mormon affected them.
When the Sisters knock on the door of Mr. Reed, who mentions having a wife with a blueberry pie baking in the oven, they enter his home. However, as Mr. Reed begins to challenge their beliefs, the girls begin to realize they may never leave. The film makes a bold choice to not begin as a horror film. Too many horror movies are too apprehensive about easing their way into horror, leading to many films starting with a scary cold open. But Heretic takes its time, not being hasty with a single moment. It spends its time with Mr. Reed, setting him up as a charming, personable man. He’s kind on the surface and easy for the girls to talk to.
But he doesn’t stay that way for long. It’s always fun to see a movie star really throw himself into a villainous role where he gets to chew on the scenery. Grant seems to be having a blast. He doesn’t play this character like a villain; at a post-screening Q&A, he mentioned that he approached playing Mr. Reed like a nice college professor and studied real-life serial killers who used their charm as a weapon. He is marvelous in this film. There are times where you forget he’s supposed to be the villain, not only due to his performance, but also because his dialogue paints out a unique, layered perspective that questions the idea of organized religion. Some audience members may find themselves agreeing with his point of view.
But it’s a reasonably balanced film. Sister Barnes (played by Thatcher) challenges his point of view as much as he challenges them. The film is less concerned with being a consistently thrilling horror movie filled with jump scares, instead wanting you to ponder further on the messages. Heretic is a twisted, demented look at what happens when two religious Mormons come face to face with someone who is the antithesis of their beliefs. There’s also a sense of humor that works surprisingly well. Grant isn’t just giving a “dark and scary” performance. He’s hilarious in this film.
Scott Beck and Bryan Woods try something new with this intricate, thought-provoking film. They’re perhaps best known for their script for the original A Quiet Place, where they proved their ability to create a simple concept with powerful thrills and emotion. This dynamic duo has experimented with superficial sci-fi thrills in 65, the mid-2010s found footage trend with Nightlight, and a Stephen King adaptation with the underrated 2023 movie The Boogeyman. Heretic manages to feel different from everything we’ve seen from them before, and their work here is stellar.
The way that Heretic incorporates humor into the mix is quite ingenious. There are a lot of concepts that can be hard to break through. At times, it does feel like Mr. Reed is a professor giving a long lecture. A movie that lectures you could be exhausting, but the script makes it approachable by drawing parallels between religion and Monopoly. There are a few more parallels that Mr. Reed draws to other places, and everything feels informative, but it is also wonderfully dark because of the circumstances of the situation.
One of the only issues with Heretic is how it can sometimes immerse itself too much in its philosophical ideas that it does not push the characters to dark enough places. While there are emotional elements throughout, it feels a bit too surface-level. The film spends a lot of time with Mr. Reed attempting to demonstrate a “miracle” for the Sisters, but it could have benefitted from going down a route that more actively pushed the characters into physical danger. Although the movie contains at least one excellent jump scare, Heretic revels in its claustrophobia and feeling of dread. With superb performances and a sharp screenplay from Beck and Woods, Heretic is a sinfully good time at the movies.
SCORE: 7/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 7 equates to “Good.” A successful piece of entertainment that is worth checking out, but it may not appeal to everyone.
Disclosure: ComingSoon attended a press screening for our Heretic review.