Heretic Review

[Westside Steve]

Heretic

A24

R. 111 min

Well I guess I'm going to have to add a new template if I'm going to review a lot of Oscar contenders. Often any film worth watching or worth Oscar buzz has got at least the element of surprise going for it. Too many times the front office producers or writers will screw up and issue a trailer that gives away whatever the secret of the film may be. I believe that's happened with A 24s latest Hugh Grant vehicle HERETIC. First of all I will issue the spoiler alert meaning that you'll have much more fun if you see the film cold and figure out what's going on as it happens. Consider yourselves on notice from here on out. If you've seen the preview you may be led to believe that it has something in common with THE Exorcist or other films that center on exorcism and while the subject is broached there is no actual devil involved except in reference. The advertisements listed as a psychological thriller, and I suppose that it is even though it's not particularly throwing. It is most definitely psychological. Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed the antagonist is definitely as crazy as a shithouse rat. It also gives Grant a chance to step away from his better known persona of the befuddled boyfriend of Julia Roberts or some other Leading Lady. He didn't write or produce heretic but he does have probably 80% of the lines in the entire film which was, country to rumors, not based on a novel nor even a true story per se. It could be considered an indictment of religion in general and the Mormon Church in particular. The three characters are Grant and Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East as two missionaries from the LDS Church. I don't know how accurate it's meant to be and things may have changed since I had spoken regularly with Mormons but at that time only men were required to do two years of missionary work and referred to themselves as Elder. For the last time I refer you to the spoiler alert. Apparently Reed has contacted the local church and requested some information on the religion which is the reason the home visit located in a very remote spot. At the outset he appears to be truly interested in the teachings and slowly becomes more and more confrontational as it becomes clear the girls aren't getting out of this house. He begins berating them about what he feels is the one true religion and insisting that he is going to prove it to them. From here the film becomes a cat and mouse game as the two trapped women try in vain to find a way out of the ancient labyrinth which takes up the downstairs and below. The genre which includes innocent people trying to escape a lunatics lair has been done often enough and with more excitement. It looks like the writers wanted more to make a statement about religion than excite audiences. Grant's plan is to prove to a woman that he has the ability to resurrect a prisoner from death and thus prove the one true religion which is, as he puts it, control. With that demonstration turns out to be bullshit the audience understands that the point is that all religion is bullshit as well. It's not particularly boring and it is fascinating to watch Grant go through the thespian gymnastics. He really is quite good, and will certainly get an Oscar nomination from this role. I just don't guarantee that anyone will be entertained enough by the action nor shocked enough by the conclusion about mainstream religion. My opinion did rise from a C minus up to an A- mostly because of the unique perspective and Grants acting ability. But you get no guarantees from me.

A-

WSS

[calfoxwc]

Too weird a movie for me, but good job.