Review: Heretic

Directed by: Scott Beck & Bryan Woods

Written by: Scott Beck & Bryan Woods

Starring: Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East

Rating: [4/5]

Not many things would make me dive for cover to pretend I’m not home than an evangelist trying to find converts for their religion. It creates a weird dynamic of fake kindness where you want to tell them to go away but they want to lovingly share why their way of life will lead you to paradise. Anyone who genuinely seeks out these evangelizers deserve a bit of a raised eyebrow and after seeing what transpired in Heretic, it should now be an immediate red flag. 

Going door-to-door spreading the word of God, Mormons, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) visit the next home on their list of someone who requested a visit. They knock on the door of Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), who welcomes them by promising his wife is just in the other room. As the girls get uncomfortable, their attempt to leave gets thwarted by Mr. Reed’s insistence they have a stimulating conversation on religion. 

Certainly coming in with quite the fun premise and idea, Heretic navigates through some intriguing dynamics through its narrative all under the idea of religious debate. This remains its central idea but the unease it builds through the awkwardness of the circumstance coupled with the genuine fear it begins to extrapolate makes for something very entertaining to watch. It all begins with the rules established by these characters. Sister Barnes and Paxton make it clear that because of their belief system, but also because of common sense as women, they would only enter Mr. Reed’s home if his wife were present. They would rather stand in the pouring rain, but Mr. Reed makes the promise that she’s just shy and will come out. This stretch then begins the awkwardness of when one should continue to be cordial and when running out the front door becomes the appropriate response. A continually tense exchange and where it goes sets up the most intriguing element of the film: the religious debate. 

As the film progresses, it becomes evident that Mr. Reed does not follow the Christian faith and he would rather debate these women on the very tenants of religion as a complete farce. The moment where he unveils his complete argument, to the point where he tries to pinpoint how everything comes from a singular story people riff off of for their own purposes presents quite the argument. Heretic could have left it then and there because it’s popular in film to take jabs at religion, especially those as stringent as the Mormons. However, this film gives equal credence to Mr. Reed and the Sisters as they go back and forth on their arguments. While I believe the Sisters did not present the greatest arguments they could have to combat Mr. Reed, it all gets covered in this mystery and fear of how ultimately these women will get out of this situation. Mr. Reed continually states to them that they can leave whenever they want but that offer of release does not contain complete honesty. Therefore, it leaves the question of what it will take for them to actually leave and what level of determination does Mr. Reed have to keep them in his home. 

While much of what transpires in this film ultimately gets spilled out, this unease helped on by Hugh Grant makes every move so uncertain in trying to decipher in what direction the film will go. This man traps these two women in his home but he does not necessarily present a real physical threat. For the most part, the threat comes in the allusion to violence that also does not immediately present itself. We know, of course, from history that men tend to get violent with women in these circumstances but Mr. Reed bucks this trend in an unsettling way as the film begins that makes one think that perhaps defeating him intellectually will ultimately save Sister Barnes & Paxton. Much of the credit for it goes to Hugh Grant, who gives such a devilishly fun performance. He utilizes the charm he so effortlessly dishes out in every role and has it be used as a weapon rather than something displaying affability. An evil gentleman who has something up his sleeve but decides to continually disguise it in order to reach an end he hopes to achieve with these two women. Grant’s line delivery is truly sensational here and really makes Mr. Reed this compelling character. He makes it hard to imagine anyone else embodying what this role required and needed to evoke. 

Providing such a fun time, Heretic has a final act that does not measure up to what it builds, but overall it more than makes up for it all. The debates these individuals have within the confines of this strange home allow for an intriguing look at the battles for and against religion, all wrapped under this horrifying circumstance for these two women. It remains respectful to those who practice religion as well as those who do not, which serves as a compliment given just how biting its arguments got. Hugh Grant, once again, proves his character-actor phase in older age serves as the very best era of his career.