So religion is pretty crazy, huh? Some would argue so, considering everything from various ideas of an afterlife, its influence on history and national governments, and not to mention an occasional genocide. But, hey, it can also be a very fulfilling belief system and a wonderful moral compass when practiced with kindness and inclusion. Either way, it gets a little bit messy sometimes! And no movie has contextualized that in quite as a profound way as A24's Hugh Grant vehicle, Heretic. Heretic, at it's core, is thematically more interested in theology and faith than any specific religion directly, and Hugh Grant's Mr. Reed certainly pontificates this ad nauseam with cheeky sardonic arrogance. While Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) are in fact Mormon, Heretic makes it pretty clear from the offset that their particular brand of religion is more of a catalyst for bigger ideas (aside from some great Mormon-centric bits) than a comment on their faith. That would be a way less interesting movie than what Heretic ultimately provides. While I'm not a man of faith myself, I did grow up in Catholic and Jesuit schools for 16 years, and have always found religion and theology fascinating. Something I loved about Heretic is that while it does criticize religion at large, it also makes a very sweet and kind case for why religion is important and the power of some wholesome faith. Spoilers, of course, to follow, duh. Although it never goes full supernatural, Heretic definitely...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - 2 days ago