Hulu: “Under the Banner of Heaven” starring Andrew Garfield

Remember “The Book of Mormon” on Broadway? What a hoot. If you were lucky enough to see it, be prepared to put those memories on pause while watching “Under the Banner of Heaven” on Hulu.

Based on a nonfiction bestseller by Jon Krakauer, UTBOH tells the tale of a fundie sect of Mormons who follow the Book of Mormon literally and want to live life like old great-great-great-great-granddaddy used to. The days when men were men, married as many women as they wanted, and made each of them obey.

UTBOH is set in 1984 Utah, where detective Jeb Pyre (rhymes with “diary”), played by the superb Andrew Garfield, has been tasked with solving the brutal murder of young Brenda Rafferty (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her infant daughter. Pyre seems to be just the guy for the job, his knowledge of Mormon scripture and easygoing manner instantly putting the suspects at ease.

These suspects include Brenda’s husband Allen (Billy Howle) and one (or more) of Allen’s brothers, whose embrace of radical Mormon fundamentalism makes the Proud Boys seem tame by comparison. The most hardcore of these six Rafferty brothers are Dan (Wyatt Russell, Kurt’s son) and Ron (Sam Worthington). They suspect anyone from the gummint (“taxes!”) to disobedient, career-aspirational wives to be fair game for their blood libel. Or more bluntly stated, murder.

Pyre and his sidekick Bill (Gil Birmingham), a hard-boiled Native American detective, are obsessed with finding the killers before they murder any more “apostates.” Much to the dismay of the Mormon bishops and Pyre’s own wife Rebecca (Adelaide Clemens), who sees his detective work as bringing up an uncomfortable period in church history. All of this adds to Pyre’s own discomfort, as he begins to question his own faith when he’s reminded of its origins. That history is recreated for us in a series of flashbacks to the early days of Mormonism.

Garfield, Worthington, and Russell are standouts in this suspenseful series that will have you wishing you hadn’t run out of DiGel just yet. Once you’ve finished watching, consider some light-handed entertainment.  “Book of Mormon” tickets can be had for $59 on TodayTix. (I checked.)