Hugh Grant has entered a villain phase with this and “Dungeons and Dragons,” and I’m all here for it.
In this film, Grant portrays Mr. Reed, a man who appears like a fine fellow at the movie’s outset. Early on, he’s visited by Mormon missionaries Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East), and welcomes them into his home to discuss their religion.
To make them feel at ease, he expresses interest in their religion and claims his wife is in the back baking a pie for them to enjoy. However, it soon becomes clear that everything is a ruse, as Mr. Reed traps the two women in his home and is prepared to test their faith in dark ways.
“Heretic” is one of those movies where one wonders if it had worked better as a short film. The reason is the longer it goes on, the more its quality tends to drag. The picture begins with a well enough premise, two devout religious women being challenged by a malicious individual.
The first half or so is quite engaging, as the tension is nicely built as more of Mr. Reed’s façade starts to break away and he reveals his plans include more than just discussing the merits of religion. It’s interesting and suspenseful to watch the two women not only being challenged on their faith through Mr. Reed’s arguments, but also in a situation where it doesn’t appear they can get away.
However, as the girls are forced to go deeper into the elaborate labyrinth that Mr. Reed has set up to challenge their faith, it starts to feel like the film is getting lost in its own story. As the film continues to unfold, things start to get too outlandish to really be an effective psychological thriller that’s grounded
On top of that, it comes across like the writer/director team of Scott Beck and Bryan Woods didn’t have a clear vision for the latter half. It feels tonally inconsistent and lacking in terms of a narrative blueprint toward a satisfying ending.
Yet, with all that said, so much of the film is watchable thanks to its strong start and the impeccable performance from Grant. The lede was no joke, he makes a great villain. It was true in “Dungeons & Dragons” and it’s true again here. His on-screen charm, combined with his acting ability to play an intellectual manipulator makes for a constant high point throughout the picture.
The duo opposite of Grant do well enough in their roles, too. Holding their own, Thatcher and East are convincing in portraying their characters’ religious convictions in the face of opposition, and their fear in the movie’s situation.
“Heretic” also benefits from its overall visual atmosphere. The filmmakers wisely showed the outside as being in the middle of a snowstorm, while the inside of Reed’s house is rustic and inviting. The setting brings the characters into the situation as much as Reed does. From there, the filmmakers manage to capture the claustrophobic nature of the protagonist’ predicament.
“Heretic” is a film that has some merit thanks to its premise and solid ensemble, including great work by Grant. However, it’s also a movie that narratively and conceptually loses its way, ultimately leading to some disappointment. It’s watchable, but could have been more. 3 out of 5.
Matthew Liedke on Film 
Excellent movie and great review. What did you make of Sister Paxton’s passage through the series of rooms (towards the end of the movie) that contained esoteric books and paintings? How did this scene add value to the overall story?
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