Hugh Grant has hit the top of the UK streaming charts, but not in a rom-com or historical epic…no This time, it’s horror and Heretic, the psychological thriller is currently sitting at number one on the Prime Video UK movie chart, and it’s one of the actor’s most unsettling roles to date.
Directed by A Quiet Place writing duo Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, the film follows two young Mormon missionaries, Sister Barnes, played by Yellowjackets star Sophie Thatcher, and Sister Paxton (Chloe East, The Fabelmans) as they knock on the wrong door. What begins as an innocent theological discussion with a seemingly curious homeowner quickly spirals into something far darker.
That homeowner is Mr. Reed, played with unnerving duality by Grant. At first glance, he’s bookish, eccentric, and affable. But his cheery manner masks a sinister undercurrent that slowly reveals itself as the missionaries realize his intentions may not be as benign as they seemed.
While the film is confined to a single setting, its themes stretch far wider. Much of the story plays out through dense theological dialogue, psychological games, and the slow erosion of social niceties. “Do you still believe my wife’s back there somewhere?” Reed quips at one point, it’s a disturbing shift in tone. A moment that underlines the film’s uniquely cerebral horror.
Heretic isn’t built for jump scares. It’s a slow, suffocating climb toward dread, one that prizes ideas over gore. For some viewers, it may feel more like an intense stage play than a conventional horror movie. But Grant’s performance and the film’s unrelenting tension are resonating with audiences.
With his recent choices including everything from a Dungeons & Dragons rogue to an Oompa Loompa, Grant appears to be embracing a new phase in his career. With villainous turns the The Undoing and now in Heretic, he seems to be leaning into that chaotic freedom to deliver one of his most unpredictable characters yet.
You can watch Heretic on Prime Video in the UK and US.
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