Heretic
Written and Directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods
Starring Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, and Chloe East
Runtime 1 hour and 50 minutes
Rated R
In Theaters November 8

by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport & Editor in Chief

“People think we are weird…”

The closest thing I have ever been to partaking in a cult was being raised by wolves (aka my family).

My formative years were spent slinging produce at the Northampton Farmers Market with its proprietors, my grandparents, Richard and Rosalie Davis. I specifically remember the day in which I showed interest in learning how to operate the cash register. I was nine years old. My grandmother excitedly obliged and ensured that each and every time I gave change back to the customer, it was to be done without the adding machine. This made for a rather anxiety filled learning experience for a nine year old that was especially not great at doing math in her head. It also made for some short customers when they were well… short changed. The day in which a patron informed my grandmother that he was going to report her to the labor board for child abuse is a moment that will forever be seared in my brain because of my grandmother’s response “It is not child abuse when it is family.” By fifteen, I was able to count thousands of dollars, spy a grifter a mile away, and give correct change while having a conversation about the numerous varieties of apples available for the season. Was this forced labor that became normalized? Of course it was. Was I indoctrinated into a family business and told that if I didn’t serve the cause (aka the family) I would be banished? You bet your ass I was. Did I know any differently? Hell no.

I shared this as I find it to be relevant in speaking about the latest A24 arthouse horror Heretic. Despite not being raised under a house of GOD, I could not help but relate to the two young women missionaries within Scott Beck and Bryan Woods’ (these dudes penned A Quiet Place) tense thriller. To me, the idea of going door to door in an attempt to indoctrinate someone to your religion is beyond creepy, but to Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) this was just another day in paradise. I may not have been raised in a fanatical religious cult (or any sect of religion for that matter) but I was fostered in an environment which I was led to believe was the norm, much like they were. Their required duties lead them to knock on Mr. Reed’s (Hugh Grant) door who, based on his exterior clad in a cardigan sweater, appears to have the comfort of a teddy bear. The ladies have hopes to convert him to the righteous way which puts them in a battle for their lives.

It was not until I went off to college that I started to realize that maybe the way in which I was brought up was not commonplace. At the age of thirteen, my peers were not required to manage a roadside circus style tent filled to the brim with Easter Flowers and have concerns about whether the inventory was moving quickly enough. Point being, Sisters Barnes and Paxton also don’t know any differently. Even with my minimal knowledge of religion, I see much of their tactics used as a way of control through the use of fear. The methods utilized are meant to instill followers at a young age to believe their way of life is not just the right path but the only way. Inevitably, it is nothing more than brainwashing.

Heretic does not waste any time putting the viewer on the edge of their seat. From the moment The Sisters enter Reed’s home, the air turns tense and the psychological game begins. The pair persist on having his wife join the conversation; a staunch requirement by their congregation is that a woman is present in the room when they are speaking to a prospective follower. Of course, this request is brushed aside with the excuse that she is busy making one of her famous blueberry pies. A tasty treat that Mr. Reed informs them they will both be able to partake in. The girls have no reason to believe he is lying as the place does smell of pie. Their chat quickly turns into an interrogation and Reed is in control. No question seems to be off the table, including the desire to know their thoughts on polygamy. Even with their continued urging to meet his wife, their demand falls to deaf ears. The duo soon discover that they are not guests, but instead hostages.

With a storm raging outside, the front door securely locked, and no windows in sight, Mr. Reed informs them that the only way out is through the back of the house and before they go… they have to play a game. This takes them to an exquisitely designed room that very much resembles a place of worship. Where Heretic succeeds is not just the feeling of being trapped, but also completely engrossing its audience in the story itself. We are placed directly in the the room with The Sisters and much like they are being asked to question their beliefs, so are we. In many ways the home in which this was set was reminiscent of an old timey dark house from a nineteen thirties flick, making it that more unsettling.

There is a scene in which Mr. Reed compares the religious sects to a famed board game made to expose capitalism, but which inescapably became known as Monopoly. It is hard not to see the similarities of which he speaks. Reed informs them that when the game was initially invented, the concept was stolen and iterations started popping up from the same source material while simultaneously diluting the message and obscuring the original concept. He correlates this to what happened in regards to the formation of the five major religious groups. He boldly has The Sisters ponder what they believe by requesting they select one of two doors to exit the home: Belief or Disbelief. Either their religious beliefs are all true or not. They must decide.

Heretic is a psychological horror picture at its finest and is guaranteed to keep you guessing at every turn. The reason this story works and the way in which it plays out is the cast. Hugh Grant and company give tremendous performances that manage to keep one engaged, even through the dialogue heavy scenes. Sophie Thatcher (whom I loved in Yellowjackets and her short stint in MaXXXine) and Chloe East (I didn’t realize she was in The Wolf of Snow Hollow) instantly put themselves on my radar as actors to watch out for. I can’t wait to see what they do next. The feelings of dread and suspense are baked into this picture so incredibly well that one can’t help but taste the bitterness. My only real complaint is the filmmakers choice to over explain the “how it was done” and “why it was done” aspect of the tale. I wish they would have trusted their audience more. Alas, this plays off as a mere quibble, for even with this misstep the cast is in full control and delivers one heck of a sermon.