Heretic
Heretic
A diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant) ensnares two young missionaries in his terrifying game of cat-and-mouse when they knock on the wrong door and are forced to prove their faith.
匚卂尺ㄥ reviewedFebruary 7, 2025
A masterclass in acting from Hugh Grant, whose choices of roles in the second part of his career have been staggeringly good. While he was always good as the charming fop he usually played in romantic comedies, his more recent roles have revealed what a deep layer of talent and variety he possesses. Chloe East's performance as Sister Paxton is also a marvelous character arc. No spoilers, but she changes over the course of the story, and I couldn't point to a specific moment when it happened.
The photography and score heighten the suspense very effectively. But we really are watching this for Grant, and his Mr. Reed is incredibly nuanced and accomplishes the changes from warmth, to unsettling, to terrifying with the smallest facial movements and inflections of tone. It's a very contained but scary villain.
Highly recommended!