Heretic

11/3/2024

I suppose that many of us have had the god-squad on the doorstep trying to peddle their philosophising but I doubt many are quite as prepared, or as tempting, as the butter-wouldn't-melt "Reed" (Hugh Grant) when the enthusiastic sisters "Barnes" (Sophie Thatcher) and "Paxton" (Chloe East) arrive at his door. Promises of a meeting with his wife and some blueberry pie lure them in and soon they are having a meaningful debate that rather puts the girls on edge. That anxiety only gets worse as there's no sign of the wife and the scented candle proves to have a most unusual, and illuminating, aroma. They conclude that getting out of his home is the best plan, but that isn't going to be straightforward. He has other plans, and they are going to have to play a game of belief/disbelief if they are

11/4/2024

This is a gruesome, bizarre, preposterous, and utterly watchable film. It is a twisted cocktail made surprisingly digestible thanks to Grant's impeccably dapper portrayal of pure malevolence. His performance brings a sinister charm that tempers the madness, making the film's more outlandish horrors feel almost refined.

11/4/2024

In the new film “Heretic”, two missionaries named Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) spend their days in fellowship and looking to bring new members into their faith. Sister Paxton is the more sheltered of the two as Sister Barnes comes from the East Coast and joined the church through conversion and appears much wiser in the ways of the world to her colleague. Eager to get her first new member for Sister Paxton; the two venture to visit Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), who had earlier expressed interest in their church and as such; made his way onto the contact list for the girls. A storm arrives at the same time the girls do but unable to enter the home of Mr. Reed without a female being present; they are assured that his wife is baking in the kitchen and accept h

11/9/2024

No matter what anyone might say, putting lipstick on a pig doesn’t change the fact that one is still dealing with a pig. And that’s very much the case with this dismally failed attempt at smart horror from writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. When two naïve Mormon missionaries (Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East) visit the remote home of a creepy, loquacious middle-aged loner (Hugh Grant) in an attempt to convert him, the trio launches into a protracted conversation about the nature of “the one true religion.” To a certain extent, it’s an intriguing philosophical discussion – at least for a while – until it gradually descends into a series of longwinded fits and starts characterized by disjointed, unrelated, unresolved segments that try viewer patience. The dialogue increasingly amounts t

11/19/2024

Written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (65, Haunt, writers of A Quiet Place), Heretic is a so-called psychological horror that is disappointing on all fronts. After only seeing the trailer once months ago, I initially thought that Heretic was a film about a serial killer (Hugh Grant) who used his crazy mouse trap-contraption house to lure in religious, door-to-door service people and kill them. While that is partially the case, Heretic follows two missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher, The Book of Boba Fett) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East, The Wolf of Snow Hollow). The two women go to the house of Mr. Reed (Grant) who has expressed interest in hearing more about their religion. As Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton m

6/25/2025

<em>'Heretic'</em> has its cast to thank for me fully enjoying it. The plot is most certainly suitably entertaining, don't get me wrong, but by the end it was almost wearing a tiny bit thin - and perhaps would have if not for those on the screen. All in all, though, it's a fun psychological horror. Hugh Grant is tremendous in the main role, he is an actor that has the chops to do this genre - I've said it before, but I found his character in the <em>'Bridget Jones'</em> flicks to be creepy so that was all the proof I needed for the aforementioned to be true. Grant is certainly creepy here. Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher are also good value, particularly the latter; this and 2025's <em>'Companion'</em> make for impressive work of her's - keen to see more. Along with the noted thinning