First Reformed - Movie Review

If you haven't seen all of the Oscar nominees, you still have time to see a few. Netflix is showing Roma, while Amazon Prime is showing First Reformed. I saw the latter film two days ago. Director Paul Schrader has been nominated for Best Original Screenplay for this film. I am surprised this is his first nomination based on some of his previous work (Taxi Driver, Affliction and Raging Bull to name a few).

Toller (Ethan Hawke) is the pastor of a small, historic church in upstate New York. On a good Sunday, he might have a handful of parishioners. Toller is a broken man. His wife divorced him after his son was killed in New York. He has serious medical issues, his church is falling apart (maintained through the graciousness of a nearby mega-church), and he appears to be questioning his faith. Mary (Amanda Seyfried) approaches Toller after a Sunday service to ask for help. Her husband wants her to have an abortion. He doesn't want to bring a child into a decaying world. Toller reluctantly agrees to counsel her husband, Michael (Philip Ettinger). Toller's interactions with Michael seems to drive him further into his own depression and self-destruction. Mary is an opposing force. She seems the only influence capable of preventing Toller's complete annihilation.

First Reformed is an interesting story, but not exceptional. I viewed the film as an exploration of personal turmoil, with forces of good and evil working to counteract each other. The good and evil (like the angel and demon on either shoulder) come in the form of husband and wife (Mary and Michael). Mary is an interesting name choice for the redemptive force in this film. I am certain it was not accidental. As Toller struggles to come to terms with his own physical and mental struggles, negative influences drive him toward potential devastation. The film draws us to the brink and makes us ponder his options. The film is slow and brooding, yet intriguing. It is definitely not a story that will appeal to everyone.

Ethan Hawke was excellent in his role as Toller. His performance was measured. As he spins out of control, his performance never gets off track. He held things together with a carefully delivered character. Seyfried offered a nice counter-balance. She was an unlikely ying to Toller's yang, but it worked somehow. Other forces acting with and against Hawke include Cedric the Entertainer as pastor of the Abundant Life Church, Victoria Hill as a potential love interest and Michael Gaston as the evil industrialist, Balq. The supporting cast was strong, helping an otherwise sluggish film move forward. There were a couple of musical scores in the film that were performed a capella. They were exceptional. They infused a bit of life and color into an otherwise dark, withering story.

First Reformed seemed to me to be a study in contrasts. Ultimately, it was a struggle of man vs. self. It was possibly a story of redemption. But it is a dark story. It is a tale the flirts with tough topics. More importantly, the film has some seriously disturbing images and some troubling themes. These are not themes that younger viewers are going to easily reconcile. The MPAA rated this film with an R rating. I would suggest teen audiences or older. Run time is one hour, 53 minutes.

First Reformed was interesting, but slow. It broods for long stretches. Disturbing imagery and themes make this film hard to take at times. It is all contextual. I am not sure I loved the way the themes played out, but the story reconciled well. This is not the first film where Schrader showed disdain for the church in some form or another. This was more of a sideswipe than a direct hit. I didn't really address the subtle messaging about the church because I saw this film as being more about faith and struggle than the concepts that cast the church in a negative light. I could have done without that aspect, but found the film to be otherwise palatable. I think IMDb has it about right. A decent rainy day film, but not a story to seek out. A bit slow and tedious at times. 7/10.

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