Last Friday Hugh Grant took the lead in Heretic, a new spooky tale from A24 about a case of witnessing gone wrong. Grant plays a homeowner who traps and tests a pair of young missionaries who call on him to share their faith. While Grant started out as the romantic lead in comedies, his last few years have seen him take on darker roles. To celebrate Heretic, this week’s binge focuses on some more dramatic and seedy roles from Grant. Films appear in chronological order.

The Gentlemen (2019)
About: This film comes from Guy Ritchie, and it’s something of a gangster film. In the movie, Grant plays Fletcher, a seedy private investigator that plays as a foil to the lead played by Matthew McConaughey. It’s a different kind of role for Grant, but he plays it well in a movie that’s somewhat under-rated.

The Undoing (2020)
About: Here Grant starred opposite Nicole Kidman in a mini-series for HBO. He plays a philandering husband on trial for murder. The question is whether he did it, and Grant plays the smarmy part well. This was a modest hit when it was released.

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (2023)
About: Paired here again with Guy Ritchie, this is more of an action film with Jason Statham in the lead as a spy recruited to stop Grant’s shady arms dealer. This one has a good cast but didn’t get much play when it was released. Still, it’s a fun film and Grant is solid in the role.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)
About: Here we get a fun, action film based on the popular game series. While Michelle Rodriguez and Chris Pine lead our group of heroes, Grant again plays the shady former associate who’s really the villain. He is, again, quite good in the role. This one has a touch more comedy, but it’s still a fun action film, too.

Wonka (2023)
About: Last year was a busy one for Grant. This time he doesn’t play a villain, but he’s not a fun character, either. Here he plays the Oompa Loompa, and he has a lot of fun scenes. This was one of my favorite films of last year, and Grant was a big part of that.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.