Hugh Grantis truly excelling in anew era of his career. Gone for now are the rom-com lover-boy performances ofNine Months,Notting Hill, andLove Actually. Now, we’re getting gritty, nasty performances like his role inThe Gentlemen, silly performances inDungeons & Dragons: Honor Among ThievesandWonka, as well as straight-up villainy inHeretic. Despite this plethora, it is easilyHereticthat proves exactly why Hugh Grant is so much more than a rom-com lead. His charming persona is put to greater use inHereticcompared to some of the other films from this current era of Grant, and seeing him in more cerebral films lets him show off the talents that he has always had in his repertoire.
‘Heretic’ Uses Hugh Grant’s Magnetism to Create Brilliant Tension
Hugh Grant is able to use his rom-com charm to great effect inHeretic, keeping the awkward, smiley delivery we have seen in countless previous roles. It is this bumbling quality that prevents his character, Mr. Reed, from feeling like a sexual threat to Sister Paxton (Chloe East) and Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher), who have come to his house to convert him to Mormonism. Yes, we understand why they would feel this threat, particularly given their custom of never being alone with men, but we as the audience never actually expect him to commit any sexual violence against the women. Instead, he is threatening when pertaining to the stakes of the film, especially to these two missionaries. His charm presents him as an ideological and physical threat. Either the missionaries are going to lose their faith or their lives, because Grant’s charm could actually win them over, or will keep him cool enough to murder them whenever suits him.
Compare this to his role inDungeons and DragonsorPaddington 2. Whilst his allure is still present in these films, even being used similarly in a villainous role inPaddington 2, there is a silliness to these movies that undercuts the tension. Purposeful as this undercut may be,Heretic’s darker tone creates far greater tension and elicits a stronger audience reaction. Rather than chuckling at Grant, we are terrified and can’t keep our eyes off of him, fearful of what his next move will be in this elaborate game. Meanwhile, his slimeball of a character inThe Gentlemenpurposely exudes no charm. While it is certainly entertaining, the caricature and over-sexualized aspects of the character mean we don’t always react to his words with the same impact as the other characters in the film, like Ray (Charlie Hunnam), Michael (Matthew McConaughey), or Coach (Colin Farrell).
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‘Heretic’ Allows Hugh Grant To Show Off His Classical Acting Skills More Than Any Rom-Com Ever Did
WhatHereticalso proves is the way Grant’s current career turn is really going back to his roots. The way he can make an argument in favor of all religions being an iteration of one another never feels confusing, which takes someone with intense control over their words and cadence to pull off. Such monologs also show off Grant’s skills on the stage, such as when he was dubbed “outstanding” in his performance as Eric Birling inAn Inspector Callsin 1986. This would becaused by his need for an equity cardand would see him go on to star in the period dramaMauricein 1987,sharing the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival. Once again, inMaurice, his control over dialogue, as well as his soft charm, draws the audience in and makes him the best part of that film, and that is exactly the same kind of allure that engages us inHeretic.
Overall, Hugh Grant’s performance inHereticproves not only can he use the skills from his rom-com days to his advantage in other genres, but also use skills he has always possessed since the beginning of his career. Hopefully, we get to see him continue in this vein, though with his next film looking like it will be aBridget Jonessequel, we might have to wait. Rom-coms are what made Hugh Grant such a household name, but when you see him in films likeHeretic, you begin to wonder what else we’ve been missing out on all these years.
Two young missionaries are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed, becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.
Hereticis currently showing in cinemas across the U.S.FIND TICKETS HERE
