Religion is a funny thing. For the pious, it’s the light in the darkness, the jam to your jelly, the voice changer to your Ghostface (just imagine him without it!). However, the more atheistic members of the community may struggle with the concept. Not just with the notion of higher beings puppeteering the universe but also with people actually believing there are these all-knowing deities.
So, where do you sit? Do you believe, or do you not? And, if you do believe, how strong are your convictions?
These questions are at the core of Heretic, the new film from Scott Beck and Bryan Woods that stars Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East, and Hugh Grant. When two young Mormon missionaries enter the house of a curious prospective convert, they are drawn into an intense journey of religious discovery.
My word, I was riveted from the moment this movie began until its end. This is a f*cking good film.
Mormon missionaries Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) aren’t having much luck on their daily rounds. They’ve even been ridiculed by the dang dirty youth of today *shakes fist angrily*. The last stop on their docket, Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), seems to be a little more promising. He’s cheerful and open to discussing religion: exactly the kind of person ripe for conversion.
Or is he?
Mr. Reed is inquisitive, inviting, and a lovely host at first glance, but is this man hiding something sinister deep underneath? His opinions are persuasive, and although he seems friendly enough, something is not quite right with him. Something a little bit sinister. The two Sisters’ religious fervor is tested as the enigmatic Reed asks them to think really hard about their core beliefs. Can they stay true to themselves, or will his arguments stroke a chord they can never recover from?
Hugh freaking Grant. I’ve seen him play some varied characters over the last few years, from a gangster in Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre to an Oompa Lumpa in Wonka. This, however, is Grant's best performance in recent memory. He is his old charming self from all those rom-coms we know and love; but somehow more confident, less bumbly. And, there’s something a little unnerving about someone so bold and outwardly friendly whilst challenging the basis of your being. He’s so good.
I loved the themes of this film. It’s refreshing to see a horror film about religion that doesn’t have to bring creepy little possessed kids or demonic possession into the story to get its point across. Powerful monologues akin to those in Midnight Mass make you look internally for answers. It’s the kind of horror that targets your psyche rather than a knee-jerk response.
I think that’s the scariest thing about this movie. It makes you think. It makes you question, “Is there truth in Mr. Reed’s theories?” There is a sense of tension in Heretic that doesn’t merely come from wondering what could happen to these vulnerable girls but also from the words this dude is saying without being outwardly threatening. It’s a superb contradiction that I can’t stop thinking about.
Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East also put in a shift as Sisters Barnes and Paxton. Their portrayals are sympathetic but they’re not just lambs to the slaughter; they are individually complex characters. The story centers around their belief, and it keeps the audience guessing which Sister, if either, waivers. I’d like to highlight Thatcher specifically who is unrecognizable from her role in Yellowjackets. It’s a credit to her acting to be able to completely camouflage herself in this role.
The Mormon Church has a pretty small presence in Britain, having less than 200,000 members. The teachings of Joseph Smith are not discussed in our education system so I’m unfamiliar with its history. For that reason, some of this film didn’t hit me the way I felt it should. I’m sure that would be different if I hailed from Utah, for example. Granted, this is a me problem. I’m ignorant and British (some of you might say the first statement is redundant).
I barely have a complaint about Heretic. There are just aspects that are less successful than others. Nevertheless, it was still riveting.
Heretic is one of my favorite movies of the year, and that shouldn’t be a surprise. This is the writing team behind A Quiet Place (along with John Krasinski, of course), a terrific series of movies, each one with a clear subtextual message. Heretic plainly brings its own question to the table, the very nature of organized religion and belief, and it does it in an extremely entertaining way.
With terrific performances from Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East, this movie does a great job of keeping you engrossed despite a lack of action and blood-curdling scares. You’re not going to be jumping out of your skin with fright, but if you’re like me, it will consume your thoughts for days.
This film was fantastic and I can’t recommend it enough.
