‘First Reformed’ is Thought-Provoking
Ethan Hawke in First Reformed | Credit: A24
First Reformed takes us to upstate New York, where Rev. Ernst Toller (Ethan Hawke) grapples with thoughts on morality, despair, hope, and more.
This film was written and directed by Paul Schrader, who also wrote Taxi Driver, amongst other films. First Reformed is a fascinating film on its own, but when it’s put into conversation with Schrader’s other films, it takes on additional meaning.
In many of Schrader’s films, you see a troubled male protagonist writing in a journal to work through some things. Granted, each of these men is very different from the others, but they are all haunted by their past in some way. They each have these negative impulses that they are trying to control to some degree. And there’s always a gnawing sense of despair within them.
First Reformed is incredibly meditative. You can tell that some of these themes around hope and faith and our responsibility to our neighbors and the world are concepts that Schrader has devoted a lot of time to think about. It’s obvious from the writing and how all of these themes are layered together that he has been mulling over these for a while — you don’t get to a screenplay like this one by accident.
One of my favorite elements of First Reformed is how interconnected everything is. Previously, I spent a lot of time in white American evangelical spaces where I was taught to compartmentalize. The focus was on “the gospel,” and that’s it. Any talk of social justice or environmental justice was discarded in order to preach just “the gospel.” My questions about the interconnectedness of all creation weren’t always welcomed in these spaces.
Today I’m still a Christian, but I no longer consider myself an evangelical. Since moving out of that space, I’ve been able to embrace some of the interconnectedness that I was dissuaded from when I was younger. And First Reformed touches on some of these concepts that I’ve spent so much of my life contemplating.
Ethan Hawke and Amanda Seyfried in First Reformed | Credit: A24
First Reformed focuses on Toller, who is a priest leading his congregation. We see him giving a sermon, serving communion, counseling people, and more. He is doing the work to care spiritually for his community. Over time and through conversations with a parishioner, Michael (Philip Ettinger), Toller begins to notice the physical world around him more. The film seems to want to highlight a connection between faith and good stewardship of the earth.
The film also highlights the power that shame and guilt can have in our lives. Throughout First Reformed, we are taken into Toller’s journal. At the beginning of the film, he decides that he is going to keep a journal for one year, and we get to watch him write entries. In its pages, he reflects on the day and also judges himself for his thoughts and actions. There are even times when he rips out pages of the journal — those are just too shameful to include in this record of his thoughts.
We also learn about the shame Toller carries from his past and how that affects how he shows up in the world. He is haunted, and despite his best attempts at atoning for those mistakes, he simply can’t move on. He’s a frustratingly relatable protagonist.
There are so many more themes explored in First Reformed, and they all fit together well. Each of them makes sense to be explored by this character in these circumstances. This is a truly impressive screenplay and is one that I want to get my hands on and study — I think there’s just so much to be gleaned from this.
Ethan Hawke in First Reformed | Credit: A24
First Reformed is also hauntingly beautiful. Many of the shots are with still cameras and very little movement. The rooms that Toller occupies are often sparse, giving you an empty feeling that often reflects how he is feeling at any given moment. There’s a stripped-downness to this film that is eye-catching to me.
There’s also very little music throughout. Most of the film operates without any background score, so when music does come in, it’s incredibly powerful.
About halfway through the film, Toller visits a much larger church that his small church is affiliated with. He walks into a giant sanctuary that is overwhelming after having spent so much time in Toller’s cramped space. The church’s sanctuary is empty except for a group of four students having choir practice. They are all singing together in beautiful and sometimes haunting harmonies. The combination of the size of the room and the abrupt introduction of music is incredibly jarring, which is probably exactly how Toller feels in that moment.
The strategic use of silence throughout this film is brilliant in helping us feel what Toller is feeling. It helps create a sense of intimacy between us and the character as we just watch him going about his life. And music can help emphasize the discomfort that Toller feels throughout.
First Reformed | Credit: A24
First Reformed is an absolutely stunning film. Ethan Hawke gives a phenomenal performance as Rev. Toller, bringing him to life in a way that causes empathy and frustration in the viewer. The screenplay is fantastic and will give you ideas and themes to think about for days after. And it’s beautifully shot in a slow and minimalist way, with plenty of moments of melancholy, just for good measure.
The final act does get wild, but the ramp-up to those final moments feels natural. Things go haywire in the end, but it’s done incredibly effectively. And the ending gives you quite a bit to think about if you want.
If you’re in the mood for a thoughtful, well-done drama about many topics relevant to our lives today, consider checking out First Reformed. Go in with few expectations and just allow the story to wash over you.