Heretic

Grade: B

Who hasn’t had a fantasy about somehow messing with a Jehova’s Witness, Mormon, or other such religious person who goes door-to-door, and comes to yours? I wouldn’t do what Hugh Grant did in Heretic, but I understand the emotion. This isn’t a straight-up thriller about just that; there’s a deep, clever screenplay bubbling beneath. However, I chose to take in Heretic and appreciate it on that level.

A couple of young, seemingly bright eyed and bushy tailed missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are finishing up their door-to-door route for the day. They are Sisters Barnes and Paxton, played by Sophie Thatcher (MaXXXine, The Boogeyman) and Chloe East (The Fabelmans). Their last stop is at the house of the wonderfully named Mr. Reed. Sounds like “mystery,” and he is one. We know nothing about his backstory and history, other than he has apparently been biding his time, lying in wait for who knows how long – rigging up his home with elaborate secret passageways, cellars upon cellars, no cell signal, a front door that can’t be opened by anyone but him, monologues, props, and more unspoilable things in his bag of tricks. It reminds me of the villain in the Saw movies who always had the time, resources, and locations to devise infinite traps. But whatever; I’ll allow a film its premise, especially if it works as well as Heretic does – and since Mr. Reed is played by Hugh Grant, we know we’re in for some devilish, mischievous fun.

And this is, to be sure, the most enjoyable Grant performance in years. He is chewing the scenery and having a ball. He’s quite charming and friendly when he answers the door. Barnes and Paxton state that the rules are they can only enter if there’s a woman present. Not to worry, Reed tells them. His wife is in the kitchen baking a pie. They can smell it, and since they’re getting rained on outside, they agree to come in. After several minutes of small talk, and the wife suspiciously never materializing, the women spot a blueberry pie scented candle in the room.

This isn’t your standard “trapped girls in a reclusive man’s house” thriller. Though the other shoe does drop, with various degrees of credibility, it takes a while. There are meaningful discussions, musings, and challenges about theology, religion, faith, and philosophy. Questions are raised about which is the true religion, if it does exist. Reed has inventive analogies to illustrate his point. Fast food is brought up. He mentions Monopoly – a board game that, like religion, has so many knockoffs and iterations. My favorite, of course, was a pop music history lesson of which I was unaware, but the needle-drops are great. He plays a song, then talks about another tune that incurred a plagiarism lawsuit because it sounded too similar to the first one – and the writers of that second song then went after someone who came out with one of their own, decades later. They thought it was too much like theirs. See how at this point, it’s a copy of a copy?

Heretic is essentially a three-hander, but Topher Grace has a small role as an Elder. I thought there was a plot hole. There’s a moment where I thought Grace had picked up on it, but it ends up being a fakeout. I like how that loose end does get tied up. I suppose the movie had to end eventually, but the developments in the final act get less and less believable. A lengthy specific explanation somehow manages to make less sense than if nothing was said – and as usual, characters move awfully well after being injured. However, so much of Heretic is wildly entertaining. East, Thatcher, and especially Grant must have had an absolute blast being on that set, and playing off of each other. I do have faith in that.

Grade: B