Two young female missionaries, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) from the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, the Mormons, knock on the door of the avuncular Mr Reed (Hugh Grant).
Everything about Mr Reed’s loveable rom-com energy and his house screams, “Run for your life right now,” but they don’t.
The front door locks and operates on a timer.
We learn late in the picture the door timer isn’t a ruse when Elder Kennedy (Topher Grace) enquires about Sisters Barnes and Paxton having gone missing.
We see the finagling of the door’s timer so that it can be opened or locked at will.
Mr Reed has requested a missionary visit, giving the false impression that he wants to learn more about Joseph Smith, polygamy and Mormon beliefs.
It’s raining heavily outside and the Sister missionaries are invited inside by the jovially-tempered Mr Reed.
They first ask Mr Reed if he has a roommate as their religion forbids entering a home without the presence of a woman.
“A roommate?” questions Mr. Reed.
“Oh, you must mean my wife. She is my soulmate. She has a blueberry pie in the oven. Please. Do come in and enjoy some blueberry pie.”
The Sister missionaries are a couple of naive flies winging their inevitable way into the web of a waiting woeful spider.
Once inside, Mr Reed, Sisters Barnes and Paxton engage in a rather harmless religious debate; questions, answers and non-answers about belief and disbelief are exposed.
Is this film attempting to be nothing more than a two hour lecture on religion?
Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods wrote the screenplay.
Both had been responsible for writing the John Krasinski-directed A Quiet Place (2018) about unseen monsters ready to slaughter anyone who made a sound.
Heretic relies upon an opposite gimmick.
The monster is now clearly visible, eager for the noise of conversation and the obvious way to survive is to keep the monster busily talking.
Little that’s new is brought to light about religion.
Mr Reed compares development of religions to editions of Monopoly games; the oldest mono-theistic being Judaism, then Christianity, then Islam and 800 years later Mormonism.
“All iterations of the same source material,” states Mr Reed.
The film delves deep into themes of manipulation and control.
How easily we can all fall as prey when we allow others to pull our strings.
If you haven’t made the time to see this rather dark movie – much is shot in squint your eyes or miss seeing what’s going on – you need to add Heretic to your must see list.
It is a twitchy psychological horror, the kind that plays on your mind, as did The Sixth Sense (1999).
And what’s the deal with Mormon Magic Underwear?
Performances are excellent, with Hugh Grant as you’ve not ever before seen him.
He shines through his abundant dialogue, smarmy, ingratiating and always wickedly likeable.
