First Reformed (2017) User Reviews

Thought-Provoking, Unsettling Character Study

[bastille-852-731547 · 8/10 · 6 October 2017]

Paul Schrader's new drama "First Reformed" is a drama about a grieving reverend who is counseling a couple--the husband of which is a radical environmentalist. This is a talky, dialogue- driven, and unsettling thriller that makes you both empathize with its characters as well as send a chill down your spine at times.

The film's deeply intellectual and serious commentary on matters of religion and environmentalism is profound and thoughtful. This movie will likely not be suited for mainstream audiences desiring cheap entertainment, but serious viewers looking to be challenged in their thought processes will have much material to ponder during--and after--they view the movie. The acting is very strong, as Schrader commands his cast into giving low-key but quietly powerful and resonant performances. The standouts in the cast are Ethan Hawke's lead role as well as Amanda Seyfried and Cedric the Entertainer in the supporting cast. A gripping, dark (almost relentlessly so at times) tone keeps the viewer engrossed in the film. While this isn't a horror film (despite containing disturbing content and moments,) the film's simple score is incredibly chilling and gets under one's skin more than almost any other film's score I have witnessed in a long time.

My only complaints about this film are found in the third act. A dreamlike, surrealistic scene inspired by impressionism that involves the protagonist and Seyfried's character feels out of place given the grim tone deeply rooted in realism. Additionally, a quick and highly abrupt cut in the film's finale feels disappointing and almost like the equivalent of a 'cop-out' in film editing. It did not positively impact how I viewed the film's ending. But other than these concerns, this is a very well-made and serious drama designed to quietly shock audiences into a state of reflection on the world today as we know it. 8/10

Grim Portrait of a Man in Crisis

[Jared_Andrews · 7/10 · 6 July 2018]

Some objectively good movies also make you feel good while watching them. Others crush you with weighty material, penetrating emotions and powerhouse performances. 'First Reformed' falls into the second category.

Legendary writer-director Paul Schrader returns to his past glorious form with this film. Some 40 years after writing 'Taxi Driver', he unleashes another portrait of a man experiencing a deep existential crisis as he sinks further into despair because of what he perceives to be a failing humanity.

Our new Travis Bickle is Reverend Ernst Toller (Ethan Hawke, in an Oscar-worthy performance). Toller runs a small church in New York state called First Reformed, which has a dwindling congregation of merely a dozen. Nearby, First Reformed's parent church, which has a following of thousands, is headed by Reverend Jeffers (Cedric the Entertainer). Toller and Jeffers clash over their ways to best perform the Lord's work. Toller rejects all physical possessions and scoffs at the financial success of the parent church, while Jeffers futilely attempts to convince Toller that wealth and religious commitment are not mutually exclusive.

Toller is not a well man. He struggles to take joy in any aspect of life. His past haunts him, as do the present failures of humanity. His despair becomes increasingly clear with each passing day that he writes in his diary, which was intended to be a form of prayer and offer clarity but instead only serves as a vehicle for him to psychologically self-punish. As his mental health suffers, so does his physical state. He's sick, probably dying, but he guzzles hard liquor daily despite the stomach pain it causes. Perhaps this too is self-punishment.

As Toller struggles to find a purpose for his remaining time on Earth, one appears before him when a pregnant parishioner, Mary (a career-best Amanda Seyfried), asks him to counsel her suicidal husband. Toller agrees, but the conversations don't lead to any relief for either party. Toller believes he finds a purpose, but anyone of sound mind would hardly consider it a Godly cause.

This all builds to a climactic scene that will leave some viewers in breathless awe and others in maddening disbelief. I took the final moments as a welcome relief after a punishing first 105 minutes, but some may see the abrupt pivot in tone as off putting. In any case, it's certainly spiritual trip and one that will stick with you long after the credits roll.

Silent but deadly

[kosmasp · 8/10 · 21 November 2018]

Or is it? And what kind of deadly are we talking about? Bored to death some will immediately say. And if that is what comes to mind while you watch it, I would totally get it. And not because of anything in particular other than the pace of the movie. How it conducts itself and how the viewer will perceive it. But as always this will be a decision everyone has to make for themselves. Another reviewer calls this a somber masterpiece.

Whether you agree with the assessment or not, the user felt like it while watching it. Paul Schrader is most definitely not someone who'll do a movie that's purely entertaining. And since he has written this too, you can imagine that the guy behind Taxi Driver and Bad Lieutnant is not going to hold back or become mainstream. Does the end justify all means though? Well if you hold onto it until then, you may feel that way or you may feel dissapointed. Just because this is "art" does not mean, you have to like it. But if it floats your boat, you'll be so high, it will feel like heaven ...

understand the ending and you'll appreciate the film

[clarkcurtis3 · 9/10 · 5 August 2019]

The key to appreciating this film is in understanding the ending by...

1) understanding the camera dynamics employed by the director

2) understanding the parallels between First Reformed (written & directed by Paul Schrader) and The Last Temptation of Christ (written by Paul Schrader, directed by Martin Scorcese)

1) Camera Dynamics:

The camera is always fixed (never pans, never focuses in or out) except on 2 occasions

Occasion #1: when Toller lays on top of Mary and they float through space. The camera moves & pans. This is a clue for the viewer... when the camera moves... it's a dream sequence.

Occasion #2: during the last 90 seconds of the movie... the camera spins around Toller & Mary. This means it's a dream... not reality!

2) parallels between First Reformed (written & directed by Paul Schrader) and The Last Temptation of Christ (written by Paul Schrader, directed by Martin Scorcese)

The Last Temptation of Christ received a lot of publicity (much of it negative) when it was released in 1988 because of the way many Christians (particularly more conservative & fundamentalist Christians) negatively responded to the scene depicting Jesus hanging on the cross, bleeding from the crown of thorns on his head and dreaming of what life would have been like if he had married Mary Magdalene and lived a normal life - worked as a carpenter, had kids, grew old, etc.

In the last scene of First Reformed, Toller dons the barbed wire (similar to the crown of thorns) and DOES drink the drain cleaner. At which point, he goes into a dream state (similar to Jesus on the cross) in which he dreams of embracing Mary and living happily ever after with Mary (similar to Jesus dreaming of Mary Magdalene). The screen goes black and the movie ends because... the drain cleaner does it's job and he dies.

Now that we have this understanding that Toller dies at the end... we have a whole new lens to use in determining what are the potential messages of the film.

Could one of them be... extremism & martyrdom is no way to make a difference (to any cause - good or bad).

A daring and unexpected piece of filmmaking

[pjmdancer · 20 November 2018]

I never expected to be so moved by "First Reformed", a small indie that tackles large themes such as climate change, mental health, and faith rather ferociously. Though it is a bit of a slow-burn at the start, it's impossible not to be drawn in by Ethan Hawke's magnetizing performance. He is masterful as Ernst Toller, a pastor who begins to unravel after an encounter a husband and wife who are environmental activists. The second half of the film is particularly strong, as Toller's polite and unassuming facade begins to crack, and writer/director Paul Schrader makes some daring filmmaking choices that add to the unpredictability of the film as it heads toward the climax. Though the ending has been controversial among audiences, I thought it was an incredibly bold, beautifully executed choice, and the final few minutes of the film have been seared into my mind. Regardless of how you respond to the ending, there is no doubt that this is a thought-provoking and important piece of art. A must-see.

Brilliantly shot, excellently written

[Bertaut · 7/10 · 24 July 2018]

Most reviews I've seen of First Reformed have praised it as Paul Schrader's best work since either Taxi Driver (1976) or Raging Bull (1980). And whilst I think that's an oversimplification, unjustly ignoring such strong screenplays as The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) and Bringing Out the Dead (1999), and very unjustly ignoring such superb directorial work as Affliction (1997) and Auto Focus (2002), there can be little doubt that First Reformed is easily his best film of the last fifteen years or so (which wouldn't be hard when you consider films like The Canyons (2013), Dying of the Light (2014), and Dog Eat Dog (2016)).

The film tells a deceptively simple story - Reverend Ernst Toller (Ethan Hawke) is the parish priest of a small congregation in the Snowbridge suburb of New York. A former military chaplain, Toller is struggling with the death of his son, Joseph, who he encouraged to enlist, and who was killed several months into his first tour in Iraq. As a result, Toller's marriage fell apart, which his wife blaming him for Joseph's death. As the film begins, Toller's spiritual crisis is already well under way. He's drinking too much, doesn't show much interest in his official duties, doesn't seem bothered that his congregation has dwindled to about ten people, and has taken to recording his thoughts in a journal which he plans to keep for one year, and then destroy. After Sunday mass, Toller is approached by Mary (Amanda Seyfried), one of his parishioners, who is worried about her husband, Michael (Philip Ettinger). A radical environmentalist who has just been released from prison in Canada, Michael has developed extreme nihilistic views, and wants Mary to abort their unborn child because he doesn't think anyone has the right to bring a child into a dying world. Although initially reluctant to get involved, Mary persuades Toller to counsel Michael. Meanwhile, the 250th anniversary of the First Reformed church from which Toller works is fast approaching, with a huge service to be attended by both the governor and mayor.

The above plot summary takes up roughly the first twenty minutes or so of the film, almost up to the end of the first act. At that point, it looks as if the narrative is heading in the direction of following Toller as he sets about changing Michael's extreme worldview. But that's not where it goes at all, instead focusing almost exclusively on the disintegration of Toller's faith, and the development of his own nihilistic outlook. Along the way, it introduces us to three main supporting characters - Reverend Joel Jeffers (Cedric The Entertainer) of Abundant Life, the megachurch that owns First Reformed, and who gave Toller his job; Esther (Victoria Hill), choirmaster at First Reformed, who had a brief sexual relationship with Toller after his marriage ended; and Edward Balq (Michael Gaston), an industrialist whose company is regarded as one of the worst polluters on the planet. As Toller wrestles with his conscience, he comes into conflict with all three in various ways. At the same time, Mary remains virtually the only remnant of hope in his life, as they continue to grow close.

The most striking thing to me about First Reformed is that it is brilliantly shot in Academy ratio (1.37:1), and as a result, everything is boxed in, suggesting little room for movement, with very little empty space in the frame. Coupled with this, Schrader is remarkably consistent in composing perfectly symmetrical shots (the opening scene is a good example). Together, the small frame and the symmetrical compositions give one the impression of looking at a confessional, with the priest on one side and the confessor on the other. As Toller's journal entries occur throughout the film in the form of voiceover, this aesthetic replication of a confessional is enhanced even further - although Toller is not the priest hearing the confession, he is the one confessing.

In line with this, First Reformed is not an easy film to watch. It's central themes are suffering, loss of faith, nihilism, and environmental catastrophe, and the way the film is shot, with the added intimacy of the journal, make it seems as if the audience is suffering right alongside Toller; we're drawn completely into his world, and even his mind, in a way very few films achieve. Schrader allows the content to brilliantly dictate the form, with the two becoming so intertwined as to be virtually indistinguishable from one another - a concept most filmmakers don't seem to even understand, let alone have the ability to accomplish. Interestingly this is the second film in the last twelve months to use Academy ratio for explicit narrative reasons, the other being David Lowery's superb A Ghost Story (2017).

Of course, Schrader is as cine-literate as they come, and doesn't make films in isolation (for example, there are at least three explicit visual references to Taxi Driver), and looking at First Reformed in relation to his career would require a full article-length study to itself. However, the film in his oeuvre of which I was most reminded was, strangely enough, Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist (2005), which is not especially good, but which does share many of the same narrative beats and thematic concerns - a lost priest whose experiences of the darker side of humanity has led to him questioning his faith; a crisis of conscience; a righteous cause to which he totally gives himself over; an indifferent God watching everything unfold; an unimaginable sacrifice; hope offered in the form of an innocent. First Reformed is a lot better, and a lot more morally complex, but there's certainly a thematic consistency.

However, that is not to say First Reformed is perfect. There are parts where it is extraordinarily clunky. For example, there's the wake where a group of environmentalists start singing an awful cappella version of Neil Young's activist song, "Who's Gonna Stand up?", or the scene where Mary and Toller take (figurative) flight through the power of holding hands (in a scene that reminded me of The Big Lebowski (1998) far more than I would imagine was intended, and got quite a few laughs at the screening I attended).

Additionally, although I've seen many reviews talking about how thought-provoking the environmentalist side of the story is, for me it never really coalesced into anything inherently coherent. Obviously, Toller is a man ready to fall apart when the movie begins, and Michael's concerns about the future of the planet serve as the catalyst for that. However, rather than the film presenting this as nothing more than the backdrop against which Toller's crisis takes place, and thus purposely rendering it unimportant in and of itself, Schrader seems to be trying to genuinely shoehorn in a call-to-action. Which is fairly out of place. And, to be honest, the photograph of the emaciated polar bear is far more disturbing and resonant than any of the facts and figures the film occasionally tosses out.

I'm also not 100% convinced the black comedy worked. There aren't that many instances of it, but when they come, they are so black as to be easily missed. Probably the best example is when Toller is showing a group of children around First Reformed, and telling them how it was a stop on the Underground Railroad, showing them a secret basement in which the runaway slaves would hide. However, instead of simply giving them a quick history lesson, he ends up staring into the basement and giving a graphic description of what it must have been like hiding in the dark, scared and tired, with no room to move. There's a few moments like this, but I didn't think they really sat well with the ultra-realism on display elsewhere.

But they're minor faults, and all things considered, this is a high-quality film. Will it be in contention come awards season? Possibly. Schrader has always had a fraught relationship with the Academy (hard to believe he's never even been nominated for an Oscar), but this is the kind of serious subject matter that voters usually lap up. I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see Hawke get some acting nods, possibly Seyfried too. Irrespective of that (and we all know the amount of Oscar nominations a film gets has very little to do with its quality), this is a strong film made by a skilled artist about a subject matter for which he clearly feels deeply.

A different take on the ending in particular...

[robertegblack · 10/10 · 14 June 2018]

First of all, a fantastic film, deliberate in its pacing, its performances, its visuals and even in its quite sparse sound design.

Other reviews speak in greater detail about the themes and the 'plot' than I will here. What I want to talk about is the ending.

So, SPOILERS:

No, he doesn't go forward with the suicide bombing, which would have been a wonderfully dark, and explosive, finale for the slow burn of the rest of the film preceding it. But, also, I don't think he 'makes out with his girlfriend' as another reviewer put it. He wraps himself in barbed wire, an update on Christ's crown of thorns, and a well done visual, both graphic and slightly understated at the same time. And he pours that drano and then we get the 'Last Temptaion of Christ' moment. He DOES drink that drano and then in that moment of sacrificing himself-which will indeed be enough of a spectacle to draw public attention to the cause-he imagines (or is rewarded with the vision of) her coming to him. He imagines a happy ending and then he film cuts to black mid-scene because the drano has done its job. He has died. People will ask questions. The church's association with polluters will come to light.

A Critique of Man

[asiira · 7/10 · 25 November 2018]

First Reformed is a movie about religion. It is about big business and the environmental destruction of which they are to blame. It is about a willingness of the Church to turn a blind eye in the face of sin. It is about love. It is about hope. But these subjects fall away as Paul Schrader tightens his focus onto a detached pastor. An unnerving and bleak look into the despair that can envelope the most faithful or the most hopeful, Ethan Hawke's brutally honest presentation of an unsure and resentful man along with foreboding gray scaled cinematography leaves the audience asking: But what of man? What of this broken man in particular? Why does man fear their own destruction so greatly that they are willing to end their life before that destruction could take them? Paul Schrader's newest film may be shrouded in politics, religion, or the philosophy of love, faith, or hope, but behind the obvious horror lies the subconscious dread. Not the existential dread of living in an imperfect and devastating world, but the fear of how oneself will react to the overwhelming despair of a reality with little hope.

A somber masterpiece

[guytowere · 9/10 · 28 May 2018]

One not to miss. The priest personifies the world's intense conflicts between the unstoppable forces of destruction (our planet, our relationships, the consequences of the Iraq war, the brutality of corporate polluters, slavery, churches more attuned to materialism than spirituality) and the receding forces of gentleness, compassion, prayers. This isn't a religious movie, though profoundly spiritual. It reminded me of Dostoyevsky, Camus and the anguish of existing in a universe so corrupted that even the thought of bringing a child seems like a sin to his father. Both Ethan Hawke and Amanda Seyfried are amazing to watch. And my admiration to Paul Schrader..

Not for mainstream audience.

[Amyth47 · 7/10 · 17 November 2018]

My Rating : 7/10

If you like the great filmmakers of the black and white era such as Bresson and Bergman you will enjoy 'First Reformed' as you can see direct influences from Diary of a Country Priest and Winter Light here.

Made for the 2018 audience, it's a dark character study similar to what Schrader's done in Taxi Driver before. I enjoyed it for what it is and the overall slow-burning narrative.

I wanted to like it more

[sandman54321 · 5/10 · 31 May 2018]

SPOILER: I'm not sure that I understand the praise for this film and regret that my review may be interpreted as a political reaction. I'll applaud a good film whether I hold the beliefs of the maker(s). I think in bullet points so here are my views on the Pros & Cons. Pros

• Solid framing, shots, & set design. From the initial shot of the church to the biking scene, to his minimalist furnishings, to the emptiness of the mega-church, I felt like everything visually (barring sfx) was solid & beautiful
• Premise is promising

Cons

• Incongruity between reverend's journey and supporting plot: The leaps the main character makes in the movie are at odds with the presented plot and character background. I think it is a disservice to those vulnerable to fanatical extremism to represent such an easy and shallow transition into said self annihilation & willingness to destroy others. This is a topic still under examination (NY Times 5/31/18), but this film would suggest that a reasonable model for creating a fanatic is to create a 46 year old, white divorcee who lost a child, attended seminary, runs a small church, & suspect he may have cancer. Add one counseling session with a young, environmental fanatic and boom: suicide bomber. Is this a remotely probable demographic?
• Thrown away opportunities: the underground railroad tie in and "gift shop church" as presented were appendages that missed strong opportunities drive the story
• Shallow spiritual platitudes: This film is reviewed by some as a spiritual / Christian engagement into responsibility for how we treat the earth. There is some support here, but the actual intellectual engagement at a theological level (supposedly this character's driving mentality) are a few obvious scripture quotes and brief exchanges. I have engaged in far deeper conversations with environmental activists on Christian under-pinning for their beliefs than this film even considers. It isn't of substance.
• Corporate blame: The story takes a cliche view of the blame by pointing to corporations and the rich exploiting the environment & maneuvering the government officials. This is part of the story, but it is convenient when I can leave a theater on the global consequences of climate change and not feel an iota of responsibility or need to change. Thank you, for the pat on the back and reinforcement of smug slactivism.
• Hawke's portrayal: he nailed the glassy-eyed, soulless addict. Unfortunately, the character needed to be so much more than this to pull such grand issues together.

Conclusion: Based on the narrative, I'm forced into a few possible explanations for the character's development: 1. Anomalous psychotic break not shown on film 2. Months to years of backstory (this story covers about 8 weeks) left out to explain character's need to grab on to this fanaticism as a logical consequence of his mental state & surroundings. 3. The reverend is a dehumanized object created by writer/director as a Christ figure to suffer for the muddled attempt to tie spirituality, corporate responsibility, social apathy, and environmentalism into a cohesive whole. I'm leaning toward the latter. Comments welcomed.

Ingmar Bergman's Winterlight - UPDATED by Paul Schrader

[greatsewing1 · 9/10 · 3 June 2018]

Apparently, I am the oldest person commenting on this extraordinary film to recognize that the plot, characters, and pacing can all be traced back to Ingmar Bergman's Winterlight, Yes, Paul Schrader has created a great new original film but we must recognize its sources and failure to do so leaves us withering. You will not have to see Ingmar Bergman's original to appreciate this film, but the fact that so much comes from that film makes it weird to me that no one has recognized it so far. Beautifully executed, gorgeously shot and accomplished acting all contribute to the effectiveness of this film. It may seem a little shallow to some, but it is very worthwhile.

Ethan Hawke's best Performance

[nikosxen · 6/10 · 25 November 2018]

Another mixed bag for me. I really wanted to like this movie. Ethan Hawke delivers his best performance yet, Amanda Seyfried is also very good, the whole tone of the movie is genuinely depressing and I really felt the depth of some of the dialogue between the characters. But in the end I felt disconnected by the means the director used in order to achieve his purpose. I felt like I was force fed all of his environmental concerns in a very direct way and this is something that always turns me off when I watch a movie. Of course it's fine when someone wants to have a political message in a movie, and the destruction of the environment is certainly a noble one, but I don't like it when movies portray such complex issues in such an absolute and simplistic way.I mean my biggest problem with the movie (SPOILERS) was the fact that Ethan Hawke's character eventually changed his world view because of an activist. I mean I get the allegory between hope and despair when it came to him and Mary and the contrast between his "true" belief and the commercial belief of the other pastor, both of these explain the crisis he finds himself into, and of course the fact that he discovers he is probably very sick.But to me, if drastic change didn't come from his sons lost in the war, when it comes to his belief and world view, I just doubt it that meeting an activist who is also clearly depressive is a strong motive for such a man to change.

Religious drama starts out solid, then becomes infuriatingly ludicrous

[PotassiumMan · 5/10 · 3 June 2018]

It is very unusual for a film to aggravate me with its heavy-handed narrative and simple-minded mentality, but this one enraged me more than any other film I've seen in years. To be sure, this film does not immediately embrace its radical ideology. It starts out deliberately, almost at a molasses-like pace but then abruptly turns into something profoundly and alarmingly nonsensical, which is why I'm never going to forget it, but not in a good way.

Director Paul Schrader provides us with the story of Reverend Toller (played with pained dignity by Ethan Hawke), who lost his son in Iraq and has had to cope with the emotional scars ever since. His marriage is in ruins. His stately old church in upstate New York is an historical landmark but lives in the shadows of the more modern, larger congregation that has greater weight in the local community. Hawke's character gets to know a young couple in his small church, one of whom is a troubled environmental activist.

This raw drama is meant to be about the loss of faith, but its singular problem is the dearth of character development that is required for the extreme turn that the plot takes. The film's descent into lunacy, into over-the-top absurdity is not warranted given how little we connect with Hawke's character. His life has problems, for sure, but his psyche is somewhat inscrutable (despite a voiceover diary, no less) and therefore what follows is inexplicable. His ultimate motives are maddeningly opaque. The ideological transformation lacks a coherent basis and therefore never touches credibility even with its fingertips. The film's shift felt very sudden, and I was shaking my head in the end, wondering how the storyline, for lack of a better word, collapsed. Its promising start felt like years ago when the credits were rolling.

With the right approach and a more subtle, nuanced point of view, this film could have been a classic. Instead, it becomes a cartoonish propaganda piece that will not satisfy an educated audience. Not recommended.

I don't want God's forgiveness... I want his help!

[Kings_Requiem · 9/10 · 10 June 2018]

'First Reformed' is an extremely challenging film. Maybe the most challenging that I've seen. I expected nothing less from Paul Schrader, though, as he's written and directed a lot of challenging stuff over the years. It's slow, methodical and exacting. It asks important questions but does not give any easy answers (or answers in general for that matter)...

Ethan Hawke's performance at the epicenter of this film really is a towering achievement. It's the kind of performance that will do down as not only one of the best of the year, but this will be remembered (most likely) as his career best. Ernst Toller is a man struggling internally with immense pain and turmoil. The loss of his only child has caused his marriage to fall apart so he has since turned to the Lord for whatever form of relief he can find. Nothing will ever take away that pain, but he's at least been able to somewhat cope with it over the years...though he has never really found true peace or happiness and has since turned to the bottle (like most men seem to) for solace. He writes in a journal every day as a form of self prayer or maybe just a way to put his ruinous thoughts down on paper instead of keeping them bottled up where they could potentially do more harm. A meeting with a local man one day where a multitude of different end-of-the-world topics are discussed ends up leading the Reverend down a rabbit-hole of immense consequences. All of which cause Toller to question his commitment to God and the Church. He's the pastor of a small local church that are all but extinct now and every city is being overrun with these massive churches. Faith has become a spectacle run by mostly phonies who only care about the bottom-line instead of the people and the close-knit community - another thing that frustrates him. Ethan Hawke is able to quietly walk this emotional tightrope the entire film and never allows him to fall into any histrionics. Amanda Seyfried takes on the important role of Mary (one of only 2 main female roles) and she delivers her best performance as well. Mary becomes a integral part of the Reverend's life as they're able to help each other through these difficult times...although it can be kinda hard to see what ways she really helps him. Cedric "The Entertainer" Kyles also shows up along the way as the pastor of the big conglomerate church who, despite good intentions, is probably doing more harm than good.

I feel like it really demands to be seen whether you're a person of faith or not. This is definitely not your typical Christian film and that's probably gonna upset a lot of people, but this one (and Schrader) have more lofty ideas and weighty themes on their mind. This is a very dense screenplay which leads to a heavy film that expects a lot from the audience. Paul Schrader isn't letting anyone off the hook easily here...he's being patient and letting the film open up at its own pace. This is also the kind of film that doesn't divulge all of its secrets in one sitting...it expects you to come back to it and soak it all in over multiple viewings - which with a film of this ilk you should probably do anyway.

Paul Schrader and company have created something wholly unique and special with 'First Reformed' and I think it's definitely something to be valued. So if you're in the mood for something a little different and don't mind your movies making you think, then please give it a chance!

Good, with a too-crazy ending

[Groverdox · 7/10 · 21 December 2018]

With "Taxi Driver", Paul Schrader made a movie that was clearly inspired by Bresson's "Diary of a Country Priest". Both films were about increasingly isolated men who kept journals documenting their mental (and, with "Priest", physical) disintegration.

"First Reformed" is almost like a remake of the latter, with unnecessary nods to the former. It's also about a seriously ill clergyman who keeps a journal, which is read to us in voiceover. This one is tormented by the death of his son, who died in Iraq, and is approached by a young married man who is convinced we are going to lose the world to climate change.

The movie becomes more incoherent as it goes on, when the reverend becomes less like the country priest than the New York taxi driver. We know he is coming apart physically, and has some inner demons. But his actions at the end seem crazier than he is.

I just found this last act too hard to believe, and too surprising. But it was a good movie up until that.

"Taxi Driver" for a New Generation

[evanston_dad · 10/10 · 12 October 2018]

I watched "A Quiet Place" and thought it was pretty satisfyingly scary. Then I watched "Hereditary" and was suitably creeped out. Then I watched "First Reformed" and was scared out of my pants.

Who knew that "First Reformed" would end up being the best horror movie of the year? Director Paul Schrader, who scripted the original "Taxi Driver," the legendary Martin Scorsese film from 1976, dusts off some of the preoccupations of that earlier film and gives us an updated version that's more in tune with our troubled current times.

Scorsese's film was about Vietnam and the mental toll it took on those who served in it. Travis Bickle, played so memorably by Robert De Niro, fought for his country and then was unceremoniously dumped back into the middle of NYC and its urban decay. He appointed himself a righteous avenging angel, determined to clean up the streets of the immorality and sleaze he saw there. His taxi was his church, and in his isolation his feverish thoughts and fantasies turned into his own twisted version of reality.

In "First Reformed," the conflict is the Gulf War rather than Vietnam, and the church is an actual church, in this case presided over by a priest who turned to the cloth after he lost his son in Iraq. Then a series of incidents with an environmental activist parishioner triggers a kindred activist spark in the priest that goes haywire, and he decides the way to prove his faith is to make mankind atone for the raping of God's creation, planet Earth.

Ethan Hawke gives a tremendous performance in this film, perhaps the best of his career. The film is one sustained note of dread, and it's incredibly bleak. It poses the question, "Is it morally justifiable to bring a child into this world knowing that that we're in the process of destroying it?" And as a father of two young boys it made me extremely uncomfortable to admit that it's probably not.

The ending of this film will likely enrage some and enrapture others. I can't talk too much without spoiling it, but I thought it was brilliant. One of the major themes of the movie is the choice we must make between hope and despair, and I can't think of a better way to make that point than by making us have to choose how this movie actually ends.

"First Reformed" crawled into my head and has stayed there haunting it for days. I might see movies I like more yet this year, but I can't imagine I'll see many that have had quite the same impact.

Grade: A+

Slow, but Compelling

[itsbobr · 7/10 · 22 August 2018]

In upstate New York Reverend Toller (Ethan Hawke) in the church of First Reformed consuls a young married couple at the behest of the wife Mary (Amanda Seyfried) who is afraid her husband Michael (Philip Ettinger) wants her to have an abortion because he doesn't want a baby born into a depraved, uncaring, polluted and dying world. Michael commits suicide and later Mary finds a suicide vest in his belongings and Rev Toller takes it.

This is a very talky movie but listen carefully because the dialogues are very good. This is a more spiritual than religious story. In time we will learn that Rev Toller is himself sick, had tests done, but no results yet. He was married and lost a child and we never did hear where the wife is or I missed it. He is basically lost and sees humanity faltering when it should be rising to the occasions and solving problems instead of wallowing in them. He doesn't know how to pray and feels his writings in a journal of the days events are a sort of prayer. Rev Toller asks: Will God Forgive us? Listen carefully to the converstions between Rev Toller and Michael. I have a feeling that Michael got to our good Reverend.

Notables: Cedric the Entertainer as Reverend Jeffers who is only concerned that the 250-Year anniversary of the church goes off without a hitch, and has his concerns about Rev Toller; Michael Gaston as Edward Balq, the owner of the company that pollutes the town waters.

Cedric the Entertainer is one of those special actors who is as good in comedy as he is in drama. He always does a good job. I don t see Oscars for Ethan Hawke or Amanda Seyfried, but both did good more than adequate jobs. Was looking for the love interest between Rev Toller and Mary since both were single regardless of circumstances. It looked to me they needed each other. (You are a romantic)

Almost near the end we see Rev Toller do something none of us expected him to do, and we were necessarily more than shocked, but changes his mind when he sees Mary at the celebration when he told her specifically not to come. I was kind of shocked at the ending, but think I understand it now. (Hmmm......you sure?) (7/10)

Violence: No. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Humor: No. Language: No. Rating: B

An astonishing film

[adam-m-fontenot · 10/10 · 7 June 2018]

I have to urge everyone I can to go see this movie while it's still in theaters. I have often wondered whether people who saw classics during their original releases recognized them in the moment; now I have to believe they do. Perhaps I'm mistaken - but I fully expect First Reformed to appear on many lists of greatest films in 30 years. Unfortunately it seems it will be tragically unappreciated until then.

While viewers will no doubt recognize the references to other Schrader screenplays (Taxi Driver, The Last Temptation of Christ), and the strong thematic resemblance to the Ingmar Bergman film Winter Light, this extraordinary story of a minister in the grip of a divine darkness deserves to be appreciated before being compared.

A tight script and gorgeously bleak cinematography allow Ethan Hawke to explode onto the screen in nearly every scene. While the entire film is a rare gift of near-perfect execution, Hawke in particular displays tremendous expressiveness in his portrayal of a mind's slow unraveling.

Hawke's Toller establishes the key theme early in the film: we're told that we must hold onto both despair and hope simultaneously. Toller's efforts to live this paradox lead him down a path of madness. As Michael (played by Philip Ettinger) makes quite clear, once the idea that despair is realism has taken hold, attempting to continue to live with hope feels at best insincere, at worst hypocritical, and Toller begins to see both of these attitudes at work in his community. This realism structures much of the film (which is why the few moments it strays are so shocking), and necessitates Toller's downward spiral. At its worst, despair causes even genuine concern to appear to be insidious misdirection. What hope can one marry to this kind of despair? Only, Michael suggests, the hope of martyrdom.

We discover that existential crises and sincere Christianity make quite the couple. Toller finds he must reject the cheerful face presented by contemporary Christianity, but as an alternative he can find only the Garden and the Cross. The careful logic of it draws us in; it's difficult to see where Toller goes wrong. Is there room for any real hope in this life? Can God forgive us, or must we find redemption ourselves? Toller, it seems, will be lucky to find the answers he seeks.

I Didn't Hate It

[meurernick · 6/10 · 2 October 2020]

I have a love/hate relationship with A24. I really like some of their movies (like Midsommar), and then I don't (like Under the Skin and A Ghost Story). This movie definitely had an interesting concept. This priest absorbing the idea, "Will God forgive us for destroying his creation"? It was an environmental message, through the eyes of the church. The character development of Ethan Hawke's character was very well done. He went from wanting to prevent this man's death for the same reasons, to basically falling into the same situation as Michael. I also felt really bad for Toller. Watching him pee was very uncomfortable, seeing how much pain he was in. And even by the time he goes to the doctor, he had already basically given up. The doctor told him not to drink, but he did anyway. He fell into the "what's the point of living" ideology. it gave me chills. Amanda Seyfried and Cedric the Entertainer helped round out a very solid supporting cast. However, my only qualm with the movie, is the ending. Ending with Toller and Mary making out, and immediately cutting to black? Did not sit right with me.

Excellent until the last 15 minutes

[briner8397 · 3/10 · 10 June 2018]

I've been a fan of Ethan Hawke for 38 years, and I was sailing along with First Reformed through the dramatic turn but disconnected in the last fifteen minutes when the storytelling went off the rails. The protagonist gets an idea that is certainly dramatic, but doesn't first his character or backstory. It simply makes no sense and when the screen went to black for the credits I actually thought there was a projection malfunction! The abrupt ending wasn't challenging, it was stupid and I felt used. I do not expect or want The Sound Of Music with every film; I can go with dark as long as its believable and I care. The last fifteen minutes of First Reformed were neither.

Should a modern priest follow Jesus's way or the Church's interests?

[ciaofrancesca · 8/10 · 31 August 2017]

First Reformed presents a true account of modern times. The protagonist, a relatively young priest, is faced with the dilemma of either following the word of Jesus or welcoming the economic benefits that being complacent with a polluting international company will bring to his church. The film is full of profound thoughts, which are very true about the aim of institutions, their core purpose and the difficulty in having a wisdom capable of balancing and believing in the coexistence of opposing values, at the same time. There is also a subtle critique about the "new age" or "new economy" philosophy of optimism and abundance, at all costs, as if belonging to such groups could provide the adept with a magic pill that relives from thinking about modern injustices and global challenges.

I Dont Know If I Like This Movie

[winniethepoodle · 6/10 · 22 November 2020]

On one hand, its beautifully acted, well written, has stunning cinematography, and, at times, makes me want to be a better person BUT this movie is completely devoid of happiness. I felt like crap the entire time I watched it. Perhaps that was its intent.

I watched the entire move so I must have liked it a little.

Major disappointment

[den_quixote · 4/10 · 21 June 2018]

Very much enjoyed Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Blue Collar. The Yakuza is one of my all-time favorites. I would not have gone to see the movie without the Paul Schrader connection. The theme of the movie is very contemporary and thought provoking. It was well acted and the photography was great. But if you remember the scene from The Producers where everyone in the audience is just looking at each other in disbelief before Dick Shawn makes his appearance, that is the exact reaction of the audience to the end of the movie when I watched it. The ending of the movie was so bizarre that it actually seemed as if the projector had broken. Do not under any circumstances spend money to see this. It has redeeming value of course but I guarantee you that you will be disappointed.

soul searching

[ferguson-6 · 8/10 · 1 June 2018]

Greetings again from the darkness. "A crisis of faith" is merely the tip of the theological iceberg in this gripping, thought-provoking, debate-inspiring oddity from legendary filmmaker Paul Schrader. Mr. Schrader has long specialized in messed up/conflicted gents struggling in a world-gone-wrong in films like HARDCORE (1979), AMERICAN GIGOLO (1980), AFFLICTION (1997), and AUTO FOCUS (2002). Of course he is best known for his TAXI DRIVER (1976) and RAGING BULL (1980) screenplays. This latest is his best work in years, though few will likely describe it as entertaining.

Ethan Hawke digs deep in his performance as Toller, a former military Chaplain now relegated to caretaker for a small church whose historical marker informs us was organized in 1767 and built in 1802. Although Toller has a very small congregation, the church itself is now mostly a tourist stop and throwback to the days of rural community churches.

Thanks to Toller reading us his daily journal entries, we know that he is already dealing with doubt and grief even before Mary (whose name is no coincidence) approaches him about speaking with her husband Michael (Philip Ettinger). Toller's teetering emotional stability is further jolted by a mesmerizing talk with Michael, whose work as an environmental activist/extremist leaves him unable to reconcile bringing a child into this doomed world ... despite his wife Mary (an excellent Amanda Seyfried) being pregnant. (Though no further proof is needed that I should never offer counseling to confused folks, I couldn't help but wonder why Toller didn't challenge Michael on why he risks having sex if he is so adamant against making a baby.)

With Michael's global and societal warnings piling on Toller's personal tragedy and disintegrated marriage, he sinks deeper into his funk and deeper into the bottle. There is also the pressure of the upcoming 250 year reconsecration ceremony and the expectations of Abundant Life's Pastor Jeffers (Cedric the Entertainer in perfect casting). Abundant Life stands in for all of the mega-churches that specialize in money grabbing these days (more business than religion). Here, big money is represented by billionaire industrialist Edward Balq (played by a less than patient Michael Gaston). He is truly the higher power in this relationship.

Toller explains to us that we hold both hope and despair in our thoughts, and that these are life itself. He has an intensity towards life and his role in the church that would make most uncomfortable, if not a bit frightened of and for him. And those concerns would be quite accurate. Some people are just never comfortable in their own skin, and these are often the most intriguing movie characters. Schrader and Hawke ensure that Toller is every bit of that and more. It's a bleak story with some dark and twisted humor, and it's shot in old style ratio which adds an element of harshness to every moment. Austere might be the best one word description of the look captured by Schrader, but the story is sure to generate some colorful and intense post-viewing debate ... with an open for interpretation ending being the cherry on top. Welcome back Mr. Schrader and kudos to Mr. Hawke.