After years of primarily being seen as a rom-com star, Hugh Grant is letting looser than ever before. Be it as an Oompa Loompa or Benoit Blanc’s *ahem* “roommate,” you never know where Grant will pop up next. He’s even proven his strengths as a villain in movies like Paddington 2 and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Heretic again finds Grant in villain mode, but with a far more sinister edge. What starts as a typically charming Grant performance snowballs into something genuinely devilish. It’s Hugh Grant as we’ve never seen him, although he wears the role like a glove, leaving us to question why he didn’t tackle the horror genre sooner.
The film owes its success just as much to Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher. East had a scene-stealing supporting role in The Fabelmans as the protagonist’s Christian girlfriend. Her character in Heretic is also all about Jesus, although her faith resides with Latter-day Saints. East’s Sister Paxton (a nod to Bill Paxton’s character in Big Love?) is never too far away from Thatcher’s Sister Barnes. Heretic could’ve run the risk of making these characters too similar. The duo play off each other well, though, with Paxton being the wide-eyed optimist and Barnes as the more cynical, practical one. Both feel like women you’d meet at LDS without coming off as stereotypical.
Barnes and Paxton do live up to the assumption that all Mormons are polite, but every person has their limits. The two missionaries are put to the test when they arrive at Mr. Reed’s (Grant) house. Claiming that he’s interested in converting, Reed welcomes them inside, claiming his wife is in the other room with a blueberry pie in the oven. Thus ensues a philosophical conversation about religion that turns from friendly to hostile. Realizing the front door is sealed shut, Barnes and Paxton must venture further into Reed’s house. It’s uncertain if they’re moving toward salvation or doom. Either way, the pie is more than likely a lie.
Heretic plays like a cinematic escape room as Reed tests the ladies’ wits and faith. In an Oscar-worthy monologue, Grant compares religion to the various versions of Monopole. It’s hilarious, unhinged, and strangely makes sense. While the heroines are Mormon, Heretic isn’t exclusively about LDS. In this house, all religions are a target and Mr. Reed is God. For every case that Reed makes against religion, Barnes and Paxton provide a counterargument, albeit in a civil manner. Despite holding them against their will, Reed comes off as surprisingly cordial. Of course, this battle of words eventually turns deadlier.
After previously working on the first A Quiet Place, writers/directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods demonstrate their strength in the dialogue department. For its first two-thirds, Heretic has you hanging on every word these three characters say. In the third act, though, the film veers towards a more traditional thriller. Heretic never loses its compelling commentary, but the film peaks with the Monopole monologue. Thankfully, the performances are consistently captivating. I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention an unrecognizable Topher Grace as a church elder. Yet, the film belongs to Grant, East, and Thatcher, who make for a wholly unholy trinity. Not all pie is good pie, but Heretic is a slice too tempting to turn down.