Heretic (2024) - Hugh steals it

I was never a massive Hugh Grant fan back in his heyday - he always popped up as the annoying British fop in a predictable rom-com.  However, I'm pleased to say he's moved on from all that (or rather his looks have left him, so he's been forced to move on - meow!) and his more recent (darker?) roles have really showed that he's more than just a lovable, floppy-haired book store owner.

Here we meet two young, female Mormons who call at the door of an elderly (sorry, Hugh, but you're officially 'elderly' now!) man's remote cabin, in order spread the 'good word.' What follows is a kind of spiritual cat and mouse, or at least that's the main set-up - and it's really good fun.

The two female leads hold their own and are really strong at what they do, but it's Hugh every time who has the better lines and the more charismatic delivery.  There's some real moments of dark levity and even a few moments that will genuinely make you think how religion in general is thought of (don't get me started on how the script managed to get both Radiohead and Jar Jar Binks into a theological debate!).

However, the movie does tend to lose its way a bit and, despite a very strong start, does go in some unexpected directions which may sadly disappoint some of its audience, ending with a bit of an anticlimax which feels a little too 'traditional' and 'safe' after what's come before.

Personally, I was already having too much fun with the film and was happy to let those aspects slide.  I'd recommend you just enjoy Hugh's transformation and not think too deeply into the hows and whys of what eventually follows.

8/10