Heretic, 2024.
Written and Directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods.
Starring Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East, and Topher Grace.
SYNOPSIS:
Two young religious women are drawn into a game of cat-and-mouse in the house of a strange man.
With Heretic, writers/directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods have taken holy horror, which is usually a one-dimensional, one-sided perspective preaching its pointlessness and futility to nonbelievers, and expanded it into a philosophical tit-for-tat exchange that portrays the believers in an empathetic, kind-hearted, smart light without sacrificing or pulling punches on hammering home the theme of religion as nothing more than capitalistic. At a certain point, the two young women missionaries aren’t trying to prove that God exists or talk up the church of Latter Day Saints (which they are a part of), but rather poke holes into a man’s (who may or may not be holding them captive) theological lecturing about religions riffing on one another, and how everything is a variation on something else (incorporating music, board games, and pop-culture to make his point.)
Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton (played by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) are not only naïve (another central theme is how religion softens people up from a young age not to question anything people say) but physically outmatched by Hugh Grant’s Mr. Reed, the man whose home they entered in hopes of converting him. That’s also not because he is bulky or physically intimidating, but more a demented, wide-smiling mind-game trickster who could be testing the mind to see how strong their devotion is or putting steps in motion for something far more sinister, all while teasing them what the “one true religion is” (terrifyingly accurate when finally explained.)
Hugh Grant is magnetic here, selling this man as creepy, intelligent, in the right (not for his actions, but for the points he lays out), potentially dangerous, and crafty. It’s rare to watch a film where the villain seemingly has sane, more rational beliefs while wanting and hoping those around him can escape and get as far away as possible. There is an ambitious, thought-provoking balancing act to what these filmmakers are doing without letting the narrative fall into safe and dumbed-down “both sides” bullshit; it’s not afraid to portray the protagonists as somewhat misguided and the antagonist as the more logical thinker, even if he is smug about it.
Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East also deliver terrific performances, starting from a stunted awkwardness (there’s a prologue where they discuss condoms and pornography with aloofness and idiosyncratic phrasing), a playful cheeriness when initially entering Mr. Reed’s home and talking about their experiences with the church, quivering lips and anxious shaking when they become locked in the house, but also a resourcefulness matching his intelligence. As one of them puts it, they can’t take him on physically, but they can try using their minds to turn the tables against him. Lesser filmmakers would have them come across as the typical one-note faith-based characters who make dumb decisions constantly and are difficult to empathize with based on religious fanaticism, but the script here, again, rationalizes that naivety while also touching upon their pasts. Simply put, these characters are taken seriously rather than made into a punchline for a twisted game.
Each character and performance consistently evolve in their own way, aligning with the story moving from room to room of this ominous home, complete with stellar production design incorporating murals, portraits, and objects across all religions. Throwaway jokes come back late in the film to add another dramatic layer (this is a whipsmart screenplay where every piece of dialogue feels insightful and crucial). One aspect feels too far-fetched (especially when the twist behind it is revealed) for how grounded the rest of the narrative is. However, even then, it is still actively engaging in ideas and topics worth pondering and conversing afterward.
Perhaps most importantly, Heretic also succeeds as unpredictably thrilling. When a dialogue exchange has sister Barnes exclaiming to Mr. Reed that she has no idea if he is playing checkers or chess, the same could be said about this devilishly clever, philosophically charged chiller.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
