Heretic is an extremely effective horror film. In the film, two LDS missionaries are going door to door, getting hassle on the streets. Unfortunately, they do knock on the wrong door, where Hugh Grant's Mr. Read invites them in, wants to talk about their religion and other religions, until it grows more sinister, and could possibly be a deadly cat and mouse game.
There's a lot of things I really love about this, I almost don't know where to start. I love that the characters aren't dumb. Yeah, it's a horror film, so they make mistakes, but they're mistakes you could see anyone doing in the real world, because Mr. Read is that damn charming. He takes that Hugh Grant like ability, and turns it into a weapon.
The conversations could be funny, then becoming a bit off, then back to him, seeming somewhat friendly. Even watching it, I was questioning in myself, like, well maybe he's not a killer, maybe he's just some professor who was laid off, and is starting his own extreme haunted house. It was fascinating hearing him talk.
The dialogue is great. It's a tense film, but also a great history lesson on religion, where he works in comparisons to monopoly, the phantom menace, and even bringing my favorite holly song into it. And those references aren't random. They make sense in context of what he's saying, so it's a real test of faith with the two girls who start out, seeming naive at first glance, but no one here is a stereotype.
They can think on their feet, and they do a good job of trying to say the right things. Even when Tofer Grace comes into it, he still plays it pretty straight, and it's a role that in another movie would seem like filler or wear out its welcome, but here he serves his purpose and he's out.
The camera works, suspense, and acting are flawless, and to go back to the dialogue again, it's so good that I could have watched a whole movie of just these three talking like they were in the first half. The only thing keeping it from being an A is that there is a very convenient thing that happens near the end.
It's telegraphed for sure, but it's a really cliched movie thing to happen and a bit on the nose. Other than that, it's an A-. It's the best Christmas page in ever, from director Dallas Jenkins. Judy Greer volunteers to direct the annual church Christmas pageant, but has her work cut out for her when the no good Herdman kids hear that the church has some snacks, so now they all want a star in the play, much to the outrage of the stuck up members of the church.
The adults don't know if the kids are going to start smoking cigars during the play, if they're going to steal the baby Jesus, or if they're going to improvise King Herd getting his ass beat. It's a pretty funny movie. From the ads you may think it looks like a Christmas streaming movie, but it's a step above that. I watch those TV Christmas movies every year and this one has a bit more going for it that makes it more theatrical.
The acting from the kids is good, the way they try to understand the nativity and the questions they have about it, and the improving they do in rehearsal, they've all got good comedic timing, and Judy Greer and Pete Holmes as the parents are very good together and can get a laugh just from their reactions alone.
It's not a perfect film, it's a light hearted Christmas movie, so there's some antagonists that are a little one note. There's corniness here and there, but nothing that sinks the movie. It's all said in the 80s, but early on I kept thinking it felt more 60s to early 70s. It's all narrated from the daughter Beth, and her acting is good, but it's certainly Judy Greer's movie.
The character they have narrating it doesn't do a tons story-wise and is overshadowed by a lot of the stronger characters, but at the end of the day, I laughed a lot at this. It's genuinely sweet at times, and one that families
will have a good time watching.
