Movie Review – ‘Heretic’ gives Hugh Grant room to creep

Heretic (2024) is an A24 movie so whatever you’re expecting, you’ll probably be wrong – but pleasantly surprised.

Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) are missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ and Latterday Saints doing their door-to-door check-ins. Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant) is an affable, if awkward, gentleman who lures them inside for conversation after providing false assurances. Thus begins a deep theological examination of faith, lies, hypocrisy, and terror.

Hugh Grant isn’t normally a first choice for villain roles, which makes him perfectly benign-looking and almost safe. The accent doesn’t hurt either. As missionaries, Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East embody and project the fragile faith and sheltered confidence of religious duty. The women may be sheltered but they’re sharp-eyed and clever. Heretic is an ensemble of smart characters with strong agendas which is a nice change of pace from the overly-intelligent vs the preciously-naive.

Written by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, they of the original A Quiet Place (2018) and Haunt (2019), Heretic is a well-crafted thriller that veers between cordial conversation and chilling confrontation. While some may harp on the depictions of Mormons, Heretic focuses on the fanaticism and blind belief in the psychological and mythological and how both shape individual gnosis and neither end of the spectrum is attractive. From comfort smells to internal warning bells, Heretic focuses on the intangible senses to crank the unease and draw out the dread.  There’s just enough blood to satisfy your inner gorehound, without resorting to over-the-top jump scares.

Heretic (2024) is rated R for pointed religious talk, people being drugged, poisoned, cut, and stabbed.