Hugh Grant’s armchair theologian in “Heretic” points out that the Hollies’ “The Air that I Breathe” begat Radiohead’s “Creep” which begat Lana del Rey’s “Get Free.” Copyright lawsuits came with each iteration. Thank goodness the idea of subgenre can’t be sued over, otherwise we wouldn’t have gotten this ingenious horror film that builds on movies like “Knock Knock” and “House of Darkness” – the subgenre of awkward socializing among new acquaintances.
I’ve often thought that the next time Mormon missionaries knock on my door it might be fun to – instead of trying to get rid of them – engage them in theological debate and try to convert them to atheism. Writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods must’ve thought the same thing, and it’s a great launching point as Sophie Thatcher’s Sister Barnes and Chloe East’s Sister Paxton visit the home of Mr. Reed (Grant), who had expressed interest in their church.
“Heretic” eventually goes in ingenious horror directions as the mystery of Mr. Reed’s house on a hill becomes a fourth character. It’s a remarkable bounce-back for Beck and Woods after writing last year’s dull “Boogeyman,” which also starred Thatcher. (Before that, in the plus column, they wrote “A Quiet Place.”) Little details in the screenplay, or in elements the camera lingers on, are there for a reason.
“Heretic” (2024)
Directors: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods
Writers: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods
Stars: Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East
But first, we enjoy the awkward conversational competition between the 60-ish man and the two 20-ish women, impeccably acted. The sympathetic and isolated naivete of the missionaries is nicely established during their journey to Reed’s house, as Sister Paxton gets pantsed by mean girls who want to see if she wears “magic underwear.”
And then Grant simply unleashes his natural charm, only enhanced with age. Mr. Reed assures the girls his wife is in the kitchen making blueberry pie, so why not come in out of the rain, even though technically you’re not allowed unless the woman of the house is present.
Thinking a step ahead
Beck and Woods give us enough easy mysteries to feel smart (“I bet he doesn’t have a wife at all,” we think), but it’s sleight-of-hand; as we’re distracted, they’re crafting more mysteries. But actually, what’s playing out on the surface is compelling in its own right – an increasingly confrontational discussion about religion, as Reed begins to pepper in a question for the girls that’s also the movie’s theme: “What is the one true religion?”
The movies I mentioned above are good, but they tend to establish their premise and then we peek out from between our fingers as cringey, expected developments play out once the façade of civilized behavior crumbles. Fair enough, because the inevitable can be darn scary. But “Heretic” operates on more levels, as we realize Reed isn’t merely up for discussions of religion, he’s up for experiments and demonstrations. The most pleasant surprise, though, is that the missionaries are not as naïve as they seem.
Because you believe in a religion, the film tells us, does not mean you lack instinct or powers of reasoning. Even if your belief system seems to consist of “truths” placed into your brain from birth, as is the case with the Utah-born Sister Paxton. Intellectualism is the field Reed plays on, but his advantage might not be so extreme. “Heretic” ends up producing a Final Girl whose traits go beyond bravery and into the ability to think under pressure.
As it goes along, “Heretic” gets creepier and scarier, but it also gets more cinematically intellectual, as if to keep up with Reed and the missionaries. As the events wind down, Beck and Woods invite us to think about alternate interpretations of what we’re seeing, building in part on the Butterfly Dream theory: If a human can dream she is a butterfly, how can she be sure she’s not a butterfly dreaming she is human?
The way “Heretic” presents its alternate reading of the conclusive events is less fully integrated than it could have been – especially considering how Beck and Woods’ screenplay had anticipated every potential plot hole before that. Still, I think I’ll check out some “ ‘Heretic’ Ending Explained” videos to spend more time in the filmmakers’ headspaces – even if these spaces are as scary as Reed’s cellar.