We are fascinated with cults, and for good reason. We like to believe that we could never be taken in by these charismatic leaders, even if they are saying things that we want to hear. And yet, there is no small number of cult stories. Just go ahead and open up Netflix, and you are sure to find any number of documentaries on this topic. And that does not even open up the conversation about narrative films like Midsommar and The Master.
There is a craving for understanding, not only of those taken in by the cult leaders, but also of the masterminds themselves. What would lead them to spout disinformation like this? Do they believe it themselves, or is the lure of intoxicating power enough to lead them down this path? For people in my generation, the Heaven’s Gate story is well-known, at least their ending is. Put bluntly, the news reports framed them as a UFO-based cult, connected with the discovery of the Hale-Bopp Comet, which tragically ended in a mass suicide. Very easy to pass them off as “just crazy,” but it still captures the imagination, and it is nearly impossible not to ask these why questions.
The Leader is written and directed by Michael Gallagher, and the story is even more personal for him, given that he grew up very near the area where the suicides took place. And he has set for himself a grand challenge. The film attempts to dive into not only the beginnings and the endings of this event, but also the in-between moments that fostered an odd sense of community within Heaven’s Gate. In many ways, the film’s number one challenge is setting the time and place. At this, it succeeds in most moments, besides some flashbacks to the lead characters’ upbringing that could have been handled better through off-handed dialogue. Nevertheless, the film quickly introduces the two leaders of the cult, Marshall “Herff” Applewhite (Tim Blake Nelson) and Bonnie Lu Nettles (Vera Farmiga). Herff has attempted suicide, and Bonnie is a nurse treating him. This initial meeting, framed by Herff’s pain and sexuality, is immediately impactful. Both Blake Nelson and Farmiga are tremendous throughout, even if limited by Gallagher’s screenplay.
The film smartly jumps back and forth between videos that Harff made later on, an interview with Bonnie, and the day-to-day operations of Heaven’s Gate. It never allows you to forget that this will have a horrendous and tragic ending, but it is a bit too bleak throughout. So much so that it becomes hard to see the reasoning of most characters, as if they are simply present in order to perish at the closing credits. Despite being the leads, there is minimal exploration into who Harff and Bonnie Lu actually are, besides lonely people desperate for connection and community. That is, of course, a large part of any cult narrative, but there is context that is severely lacking. This becomes even clearer when other members are introduced, including Warren (Jim Parsons), David (Simon Rex), and Michelle (Grace Caroline Currey).
It does feel a bit like Parsons is playing a version of characters he has played before, but Rex and Caroline Currey are, besides the two leads, the most memorable part of the film. We do get a small bit of backstory about Michelle, carried out through messages from her family that are the height of emotional interiority that The Leader offers. Given that one of the tenets of the cult is that our bodies are merely vessels that convince us to do things we shouldn’t, like have sex, casting two strikingly good-looking actors in these roles certainly tells you where things will go. However, it is still convincing as the two have palpable chemistry, despite knowing that it will not end well. The moments between the two are really the only bits of lightness that the film contains, and it is desperately needed.
Given the accent work and purposelessly genderless look given to Herff and Bonnie Lu, it would be very easy for the film to tip over into unintentional comedy. Luckily, the direction from Gallagher and the lead performances hit just the right tone, and even master the terrors of faith and the blind following of these two leaders. When Herff and Bonnie Lu call out members of Heaven’s Gate for breaking rules, the way they speak to them moves from country charm to harrowing villain, but without ever feeling over-the-top.
Although there are imperfections in the build towards its inevitable end, this is where The Leader truly takes flight. Cinematographer Ben Mullen is able to combine ideas of death and iconography of alien abduction seamlessly, so we are put in the mindset of Harff in his final moments. These visuals, in combination with Blake Nelson’s performance, make for a somewhat shocking engagement with the lies that we tell ourselves that is wholly unexpected. We all know that a great ending can lift a movie to heights that were previously unimaginable, and The Leader is a perfect example of this. The film leaves you with mixed feelings: regret, disgust, and even pity. The final close-ups, combined with the fact that Heaven’s Gate still exists today, never let the leaders off the hook, while still showing the human empathy they were unable to experience in their lives.
The Leader certainly does not provide the answers that we all continue to crave about cult leaders. However, it does take a look at the dangers of how much we need connection, faith, and belief. It shows us, once again, that if someone claims to have all of the answers, we should, at a minimum, look closer. Life is, sadly, not simple, and no one person, no matter how well they write their handbook, can give us the answers we crave.
The Leader held its World Premiere as a part of the Spotlight Narrative section of the 2026 Tribeca Festival.
Director: Michael Gallagher
Screenwriter: Michael Gallagher
Rated: NR
Runtime: 104m
The Leader certainly does not provide the answers that we all continue to crave about cult leaders. However, it does take a look at the dangers of how much we need connection, faith, and belief.
Dave is a lifelong film fan who really got his start in the independent film heyday of the 90’s. Since then, he has tried to branch out into arthouse, international, and avant garde film. Despite that, he still enjoys a good romcom or action movie. His goal is to always expand his horizons, through writing and watching new movies.
