Hugh Grant’s against-type turn is the main reason to see Heretic, written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. Sure, the British charmer has played villains before—Paddington 2, anyone? But Heretic’s Mr. Reed is in another category. A seemingly kindly older man, Mr. Reed welcomes two Mormon missionaries into his home to hear about their church. While his wife supposedly bakes a pie in the kitchen, Mr. Reed’s questions ever so slightly become pointed critiques, making the two young women (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) increasingly uncomfortable. Before long—and without ever losing his gentle smile—he’s launched into a courtly discourse against organized religion altogether. (Mr. Reed is like a preacher who makes his point three minutes into the sermon, then holds the service hostage for an hour with increasingly unhinged illustrations.) The trick of Grant’s performance is that this insidious politeness remains intact no matter how gonzo Heretic gets. Even as the movie itself unnecessarily spirals further into madness and attendant plot holes—perhaps inspired by the wackadoo escalations of recent horror such as Malignant, Barbarian, and Longlegs—Grant makes for a genially deranged host.
(11/4/2024)
