Hugh Grant Is a Diabolical ‘Heretic’ in A24’s Unnerving Thriller About Faith 

Alci Rengifo

There is a particular fear when it comes to questioning everything you believe in, even more so when someone presents a fierce challenge to those beliefs. Hugh Grant is the ultimate troll in “Heretic,” a sharp horror thriller that spends a lot of time building tension over cosmic debates. Grant is the driving engine of this film, proving that he can be menacing at the same level of his famous charm. Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods build their plot around the main character to deliver some serviceable scares, elevated to a stylish degree since this is an A24 production. What does set it apart from some of its contemporaries is the surprising way you get caught up in the discussion.

The story begins in a gloomy, rain-drenched town where two young missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East), are on their required “mission.” Converting souls is hard work. Barnes is the more open, questioning Mormon, while Paxton is a classic, sheltered believer. They might finally get a conversion with Mr. Reed (Grant), a well-spoken older man who claims to want more information on the church. When the two missionaries arrive at his rather gothic home in the woods, the mood is ominous but they still accept his invitation to come inside. Clearly trapped, the two girls endure a long challenge posed by Mr. Reed on the validity of their faith, while realizing he is hiding some potential terrors in the basement.

On the surface, “Heretic” is a horror film, but the filmmakers spend more time with its core debate than on any cheap jump scares. There are even dashes of ironic humor all over this material. Reed as a character becomes a symbol for that challenging, hostile voice any true believer in any subject will eventually encounter. He sits the two Mormons down and begins with some basic questions about what they might think about polygamy, one of the most controversial aspects of early Mormonism. These missionaries know the basic dogmas they have been instructed in, but are unprepared for such an assault. Reed then proceeds to dismantle the notion of organized religion by comparing it to pop culture or the evolution of franchises. Something is a copy of something prior is his key point. Radiohead’s “Creep” has shades of the Hollies’ “The Air That I Breathe,” the latter he plays through speakers in the eerie library where he locks the girls in. In this same fashion, Judaism leads to Christianity which leads to Islam, while Mormons are an offshoot of Christianity. He has a whole gallery set up of deities from different cultures which all have suspiciously similar story details to that of Jesus Christ.

In such moments Grant shines by intellectually prodding and poking at his two captives, doing more mental torture than anything physical. He is like Richard Dawkins’ evil cousin, cheerfully mocking and dismantling religion, though clearly out of a very dark impulse. Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East match Grant well, giving off a youthful defiance to his ideas while trying to hide back clearly emerging doubts. As directors, Beck and Woods subtly build a suffocating tension with smaller details. Why won’t Reed’s wife ever come out to say hello? Why is there a whiff of blueberry pie? The home is designed with simple menace. Dark hallways hide odd statues and nobody in their right mind would ever turn a door knob in this place.

Horror fans hoping for some of that A24 gore will still get a decent serving once the missionaries make their way into the underground layers of Reed’s home. Creepy, gross things are waiting down there that reveal the older man’s expectedly demented, true intentions. He is obsessed with the rules and consequences of religion for reasons much more diabolical than free thinking. Yet, even when the wilder moments of the plot kick in, they still explore themes of the nature of belief. Faith is powerful precisely because it can be based on what you can’t see. How do you ever know the real truth? The two Mormons have their own impressive moments where they challenge Reed on the fallacies of his own claims. What this film eventually settles on is that doubt can be a natural component of belief, from any side of the aisle. You rarely get this sort of in-depth effort put into recent horror films, where religion is usually more of a gimmick. “Heretic” easily gives chills, especially through a memorable performance by Hugh Grant. Even more effective, however, is its battle of wills.

“Heretic” releases Nov. 8 in theaters nationwide.