Heretic
★ ★ ★ ½
‘Heretic’ tells the story of two Mormon missionaries, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) who knock on the wrong door. The house they visit belongs to Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), who had apparently expressed interest in exploring the Mormon religion. The girls are there to follow up.
When they knock on his door, a heavy rainstorm has just started. They converse for a bit, and he offers them to come in for some blueberry pie. The girls tell him they can’t come in unless there’s an adult lady there. Mr. Reed assures them his wife is tending to the pie in the kitchen and will join the conversation.
Missionaries approach Mr. Reed’s House
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The missionaries are satisfied with this and enter. When they walk inside, Mr. Reed asks them if they’re okay being in a house that’s been encased in metal. The girls aren’t bothered by this and they sit down and begin talking.
The missionaries talk about their church and what the Mormon religion offers, but Mr. Reed masterfully takes control of the conversation by asking poignant, tough questions. His line of questioning with the girls eventually boils down to one question: what is the one true religion?
Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed
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As the questions spiral into the dark side of theology, so does the impending doom the missionaries begin to feel as they realize that they’re trapped in Mr. Reed’s home. The front door is on a timer and cannot be unlocked. He tells them they’re free to go, but only through the back of the house. They must choose between two doors in order to leave.
Mr. Reed is mischievously pleasant and incredibly polite, but we know well before the missionaries do that his purpose is dark and nefarious. Grant plays this role impeccably.
The script does a masterful job of leading us – and the missionaries – down a path of evil that becomes darker and darker as the story unfolds. The more we learn about Mr. Reed and his house, the more tense the story becomes.
Sophie Thatcher as Sister Barnes
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The house becomes its own character in the film, with its hidden doors, passageways and time-controlled locks. Mr. Reed uses this to his full advantage to trap and ensnare the girls, forcing them on a journey that will test their courage and faith.
A film like this could easily be slow and boring. The development of Sisters Barnes and Paxton throughout the film as they navigate through Mr. Reed’s house of horrors, and theological nightmares, keeps this a tense, tightly wound tale.
Is there a wife? Is there blueberry pie? You’ll have to go to Mr. Reed’s house and find out.
Rated: R for some bloody violence.
Running Time: 1h 51m
Directed by: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods
Written by: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods
Starring: Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East, Topher Grace
Horror, Mystery & Thriller
