Two young women of religion are drawn into a game of cat and mouse in the house of a strange man.Two young women of religion are drawn into a game of cat and mouse in the house of a strange man.Two young women of religion are drawn into a game of cat and mouse in the house of a strange man.
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Releases November 15, 2024
Carolyn Adair
- Driver with Car
- (uncredited)
River Codack
- Missionary #1 (Elder Simmons)
- (uncredited)
- Directors
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe end credits feature the statement: "No Generative Al was used in the making of this film."
Featured review
The Age of Hugh Grant's villains has arrived and it's wonderful
Heretic is a horror movie that tells the tale of two very young Mormon missionaries, Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton, who visit a man who wanted to "know more" about their religion, Mr. Reed. While the naive girls think they are about to convert the man, Mr. Reed has another idea. He plans to test the girls' faith in a very unusual and cruel way.
This is a movie that has only a few characters and sets, and that kind of movie usually wins me over, just because it leaves space for actors and other artists to really show what they are capable of with just a few tools.
Hugh Grant is diabolically wonderful as Mr. Reed, a graceful, educated gentleman obsessed with religion and with the idea of proving to two young Mormons that their (and all) religion is a farce. The character is as eloquent as psychotic, and the text handed over to Grant is absolutely delightful and fun. His soliloquies are just simply entertaining to watch. It probably wouldn't have worked with any actor, but the British suavité of an actor like Hugh Grant easily sells it.
I loved the script, and I loved it really tried to escape from the clichés that would normally haunt a story like this. For example, at first I thought that Mr. Reed's motivation were triggered by the tragic loss of someone important to him, but I couldn't be more wrong. I also thought I knew how the movie would end, but it ended up surprising me instead. In the end, I was very satisfied with the script. It's smart, bold and provocative (and dare I say, sometimes hilarious, thanks to Grant's performance).
The directing is also very inspired. I liked the game the camera plays from time to time when it focuses on the character's eyes or faces, or even when it makes some fancy movements towards the end. It's a directing that sometimes also chooses to focus more on the character listening than on the one speaking. I respect that choice, but sometimes favoring the girls instead of Grant is a bit frustrating.
Speaking of the girls, Sophie Tatcher (from Boogeyman) and Chloe East (from The Fabelmans) do a very good job as the two young naive - yet sagacious - girls who become Mr. Reed's prey. Topher Grace is also in the cast, but he's criminally underused. I don't think his character has more than 1 minute and a half of screen time, and he just comes and goes. Weird choice, but...
I would also like to praise the score by Chris Bacon, although I only really noticed it towards the ending. Still, a very moving score for a very moving ending.
In the end, Heretic is a refreshing horror movie full of talent that will most likely make people sit on the edge of their seats and bite their nails off. It's a great suspense that had all the right pieces on the board. I greatly recommend.
This is a movie that has only a few characters and sets, and that kind of movie usually wins me over, just because it leaves space for actors and other artists to really show what they are capable of with just a few tools.
Hugh Grant is diabolically wonderful as Mr. Reed, a graceful, educated gentleman obsessed with religion and with the idea of proving to two young Mormons that their (and all) religion is a farce. The character is as eloquent as psychotic, and the text handed over to Grant is absolutely delightful and fun. His soliloquies are just simply entertaining to watch. It probably wouldn't have worked with any actor, but the British suavité of an actor like Hugh Grant easily sells it.
I loved the script, and I loved it really tried to escape from the clichés that would normally haunt a story like this. For example, at first I thought that Mr. Reed's motivation were triggered by the tragic loss of someone important to him, but I couldn't be more wrong. I also thought I knew how the movie would end, but it ended up surprising me instead. In the end, I was very satisfied with the script. It's smart, bold and provocative (and dare I say, sometimes hilarious, thanks to Grant's performance).
The directing is also very inspired. I liked the game the camera plays from time to time when it focuses on the character's eyes or faces, or even when it makes some fancy movements towards the end. It's a directing that sometimes also chooses to focus more on the character listening than on the one speaking. I respect that choice, but sometimes favoring the girls instead of Grant is a bit frustrating.
Speaking of the girls, Sophie Tatcher (from Boogeyman) and Chloe East (from The Fabelmans) do a very good job as the two young naive - yet sagacious - girls who become Mr. Reed's prey. Topher Grace is also in the cast, but he's criminally underused. I don't think his character has more than 1 minute and a half of screen time, and he just comes and goes. Weird choice, but...
I would also like to praise the score by Chris Bacon, although I only really noticed it towards the ending. Still, a very moving score for a very moving ending.
In the end, Heretic is a refreshing horror movie full of talent that will most likely make people sit on the edge of their seats and bite their nails off. It's a great suspense that had all the right pieces on the board. I greatly recommend.
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The 2024 Festival Films You Need to Know
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Details
- Runtime1 hour 50 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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