Hugh Grant in "Heretic" trailer shows a man using the routine as a weapon

A few days ago, I heard mention of a Toronto International Film Festival entry that is a horror movie about "Mormon missionaries." I was hesitant to even look up the premise given how sensationalized some media is about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints can be for entertainment value, but my love for Hugh Grant's oeuvre made me give the trailer a watch. I felt unnerved, anxious, and longing to buy a ticket for opening day.

It should be mentioned that I am considering this trailer as a life-long member of that church, who spent eighteen months in California as a missionary, quite a lot like the film's protagonists. And that relatability is utterly compelling to me. Here are some of my other thoughts on what we've seen about the upcoming film.

"I think it is good to be religious."

As the trailer opens, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) are doggedly trying to share the gospel of Jesus Christ in a small town. Some people turn them away. Some walk by. "My name is Sister Barnes and....oh, my gosh" says one of them as she isn't allowed to even finish a sentence. When Mr. Reed, a charming man, invites them in, he mentions that his wife is making a pie.

After finding common ground, he leaves to check on the pie. It is then that Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) notices the homey aroma of blueberry pie wafting from a scented candle. There is no wife, and they soon realize that there is no escape. Mr. Reed invites them to choose between two doors labeled Belief and Disbelief. They are "being studied" and what the end game is does not emerge in the trailer.

The intrigue of this film is not just in its subject matter. Feature films such as God's Army, The Best Two Years, and The Errand of Angels have depicted fictional, but fairly faithful, versions of the daily life of missionaries from this sect. In The Strangers, two 12-year-old boys with vague pamphlets on "Christian Living" are listed in the credits as Mormon Missionaries despite this being an inaccurate depiction. And we all remember the satire of The Book of Mormon, which straddles the line between real experience and utter farce so incisively that the Church famously advertised that if people like the play, they should read the book.

That said, Sisters Barnes and Paxton are very relatable. They are dressed appropriately and while their questions are generic, they're not inaccurate. I sympathize with the physical demands of their work because I remember the long days in sometimes unbearable weather. There were times when we would speak to people at the door because a member of the opposite sex was home alone. And the dialogue about being "spiritually curious" reflects the frequent encouragement to build on common beliefs.

The horror in this trailer is that every thing about the missionaries' conduct leaves them vulnerable. They are socially isolated, relying on each other most of the time while not native to the area. They presume the good in everyone they meet and see an invitation to come in as a sign of connection. All of these things are red flags in hindsight, but as with all good thrillers, the lack of foresight is what endangers them.

Heretic comes out in theaters on November 8.