In theaters November 8, 2024.
The Religious Narcissist - “Just because a person’s activities are rooted in church does not mean their heart is rooted in God.” - Samantha J. West
I’m sure this can be said of most people in their lives but I always find it interesting when a film directly correlates with something that was or is a significant part of my life. In the case of this movie, the two main protagonists are Mormon missionaries as LDS (Latter-Day Saints) members. I was raised for roughly the first fifteen years of my life as a Mormon. I am not a practicing member anymore and my views on organized religion are not exactly filled with thoughts of fondness and yearning to return anytime soon, or ever. So for the sake of avoiding any kind of harsh words on my part I’ll just try to stay away from my personal thoughts on the subject. While I can’t promise my feelings won’t show through to some degree in this review, I’ll do my best to keep it in check.
It was fun to look for small details that only members or former members would pick up on. Andrew Garfield recently starred in a limited series for FX called Under the Banner of Heaven. It’s about a devout detective investigating a brutal murder that is somehow linked to the religion he believes in, testing his faith. The nuances and terms I picked up on watching that series or this movie added another level of depth to enrich these already powerful experiences.
One of the most honest and identifiable scenes of Heretic is the opening scene of two Mormon women missionaries simply sitting on a public bench discussing certain taboo subjects contained within the perspective of their seemingly limited life experience and limitations set by the church. There is an innocence about the way they speak but with a natural curiosity that makes them feel almost naughty simply for thinking of such things. It’s funny certainly, but there’s an immediate sign of what it means to live religiously knowingly choosing to forgo what others might consider to be pivotal moments of growing up.
Immediately following their little conversation it shows them injecting themselves into other people’s lives by attempting to convert them. It’s an innocence being manipulated into intrusive practices that quite frankly never feel genuine, but rather an act of forcing others into a preordained set of topics meant to recruit rather than to simply converse. Ulterior motives are obvious and two-faced when being veiled by small talk which is a kind of torture all its own. It isn’t until they’re face to face with a man clearly ready to test their faith as representatives of the Mormon church that the veil of hidden meaning is tossed aside for the most genuine conversation of their young lives. Genuine, certainly. Hostile, most likely.
Sister Paxton and Sister Barnes are missionaries tasked with spreading the word of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to any willing listeners. Today they’re meeting a man by the name of Mr. Reed, innocuous enough. It’s clear from the start that Mr. Reed is no passerby when it comes to religion. He is obviously well-read, intelligent and well-versed in world religions. He demonstrates his in-depth understanding of Judaism, Christianity, Catholicism, Buddhism and of course Mormonism. He is ready to speak of their gospel but quickly it becomes obvious his intentions are to challenge them and their faith.
What starts off as nothing more than a challenging but mostly innocent conversation slowly turns into something with undercurrents of danger and potential hostility. As a societal rule it would seem it’s best to ignore your instincts and stay in uncomfortable situations simply to avoid being seen as rude or inconsiderate. Sister Paxton and Sister Barnes’ life experience is about to change forever in the most psychologically daunting, damaging and treacherous ways they never could have imagined.
Some stories are acting buffets with endlessly chewable scenery. If this were turned into a play it would not only work but would be scarily enticing. It is a masterclass of not only spectacular acting, but in conversation beneath the facade of kindness and societal niceties. It’s a lot of saying the quiet parts out loud without directly addressing these things all before dropping any and all fake smiles or feigned interest. It’s a constant elevation of conversation topics starting at soft introductions, hellos and offering of a beverage and such, to things harder to broach and ignore eventually reaching a fever pitch of obvious sinister stares and sudden bursts of inappropriate conversation to full blown assault.
If you wondered at all why Hugh Grant might take such a role, you just need to watch him play Mr. Reed. It will make sense why he gravitated to such a character. He has so much colorful, visceral, impactful dialogue it’s impossible to not get lost in his character’s ideological ramblings usually teetering on the brink of unfiltered insanity. As Mr. Reed, Grant is powerfully maniacal and somehow effortlessly engaging and in a weird way, inviting. Despite everything you know him to be and knowing everything you’re going to learn about him will be nothing shy of horrific, he still manages a kind of welcoming presence. He is truly spectacular as Mr. Reed. Heretic is a vessel and Hugh Grant is the driving force propelling it to enormous heights of terror and thrilling revelation.
On the other end of the spectrum is Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton. Played by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East, their character arcs are fascinating to watch develop. Both come with a kind of naivety about them, especially East’s character, Sister Paxton. To watch them transform from innocent missionaries to survivalists is to watch them question their very reality as religious beings. They will question themselves, challenge their own beliefs and discover the strength to turn the game against Mr. Reed and challenge him in ways he never anticipated. Thatcher and East are fantastically driven and focused on outsmarting their cunning opponent. They arrive unprepared and unwilling participants and become something worthy of Mr. Reed’s challenges and possibly much worse still hidden around the next labyrinth of hallways and mysterious doorways.
Heretic is a challenge of religious beliefs and what it means to have faith. It brings into question the realities of such staunch standards when belief blends dangerously into certainty. The setting is disquieting, the host a combination of religious lunatic and Willy Wonka, the victims, innocence reborn and the plot nothing short of spine-chilling. It is a tale of psychological warfare on the subject of religion and its journey can only lead to one kind of outcome, and it doesn’t involve warm pastry fresh from the oven.
Rated R For: some bloody violence
Runtime: 110 minutes
After Credits Scene: No
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Starring: Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East, Topher Grace
Directed By: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods
Out of 10
Story: 9/ Acting: 10/ Directing: 9/ Visuals: 8.5
OVERALL: 9/10
Buy to Own: Yes.
Check out the trailer below:
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