Hugh Grant is in his villain era, playing against his Noughties romcom type in Dungeons and Dragons, Paddington 2, Wonka (OK, oompa-loompas aren’t technically bad guys, but they do really creep me out) and now in his first horror, Heretic. But this is a revolution of setting, not acting. The Hugh Grant tormenting teenage missionaries in his rural, labyrinthine lair (perhaps he always had it in him: the iniquitous Daniel Cleaver’s last name was Cleaver, for God’s sake) is the same Hugh Grant we’ve long known: a bashful shrug, a disarming smile; fast-talking, sheepish, endearingly peculiar. Heretic draws all its power from this fact.
Grant is Mr Reed, an ageing man in a granddad cardie and Jeffrey Dahmer specs, who has requested a visit from the Mormon missionaries because yes, actually, he would like to learn more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and Heavenly Father’s plan for his salvation. As sisters Paxton (Chloe East, The Fabelmans) and Barnes (Sophie Thatcher, Yellowjackets), making one last visit after a day of not-so-warm receptions, lock their bikes to the railings at the front of Reed’s Hansel and Gretel cottage, the skies darken and it begins to rain.
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