HERETIC 😊

HERETIC is a 2024 A24 horror film written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. I had watched the trailer many times before going to see this film but still did not fully grasp the concept, so I went into it with some blindness. I am so glad I did because even if I knew what would happen, there is no way to trust and digest it until you see it happening on screen. 

The film follows two Mormons, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) – two of the most beautiful girls you will ever see! They go to their last house of the day to tell Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant) about the church of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

I first learned about HERETIC in July when my mother asked if they were making a HEREDITARY sequel. To this moment, whenever I say the name or read it, I always think it will be some kind of reference to the HEREDITARY. Alas, the only true connection between the two is the distribution by A24, and honestly, I am glad because HERETIC is genuinely a unique experience. HERETIC is undoubtedly a horror/thriller and certainly has moments of gore; however, it does not rely on that entirely as it could’ve and just leans back on the easy scares. Instead, it was very intellectually curious and terrifying. HERETIC was an incredibly well-written and profound film that shared logical debates from both sides of the religious spectrum. It had some of the wildest comparisons I’ve ever seen that all worked perfectly to create one big think piece. The movie feels interactive, as if you are a silent character making these choices and going on the journey alongside the characters. 

Now, the third act of the film gets a tad weak, and you can tell the moment they knew they didn’t have a perfect way to wrap it up. Everything stays still for a moment, and they bring out Chekhov’s Gun and a Deus Ex Machina, symbolism, callbacks, and audience reliance to decipher what they think the ending meant to them. It was not bad, but they could’ve both had more substance and connection to the overall story and themes to end off a solid first and second act. You could make a case that these plot devices were all used to mirror the film’s themes of religion. However, I thought it became a little loose to a generally very tight story. But, I suppose that’s up to you whether you want to follow belief or disbelief. 

The writing is lovely, though, specifically regarding the dialogue. The conversations in the first act are some of the funniest things you will ever hear, and I know I will be quoting them for months to come. Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East, and Hugh Grant are absolutely phenomenal, starring as the leading trio. Seriously, class act work from every single one of them and there is not a single moment they fall short. They were all incredibly different and memorable, bringing so much to the table. I can not picture anyone else playing any of those roles because they truly, truly nailed it. Hugh Grant gave one of the year’s best performances, which was so chilling. Plus, I think he made me laugh a lot more in this one film than any comedy movie made in the last decade. 

I will watch HERETIC one or two more times to show it to my best friend and father before I let it rest for a while. It did a wonderful job for everything it was supposed to be. It had a wonderful script, phenomenal dialogue, a plot structure that teetered toward the end, an insanely good amount of humor, and one killer song. The last A24 movie review I wrote was WE LIVE IN TIME, where I referenced that that movie made me want to smile at all the strangers I saw, and I can safely say HERETIC put out any yearning for that quite quickly; I’d prefer to not be around any strangers now or ever again. 

They are currently selling the blueberry pie candle on the A24 website, and I have been going back and forth over the past week about whether I want to spend the $30 to buy it even though I do not like the scent of blueberry pie. And you know what? I think that kind of sums up the entire theme of the movie. 

HERETIC is still in theaters (as of 11/16), and I recommend going to see it. You’ll have a good laugh and think a bit about the things you believe in.