First Reformed (2018)

Gripping, emotional and refreshingly invigorating, First Reformed has been hailed by many critics as a directorial comeback for Paul Schrader.

Schrader’s newest drama is a rather bleak exploration of a lonely pastor in the depths of a spiritual crisis. Played rather excellently by Ethan Hawke, Reverent Ernest Toller, plagued by ill health and alcoholism, grabbles with the complexities of faith in the 21^st century.

Left with the guilt of encouraging his son to go to war in Iraq, where he subsequently lost his life and with his wife leaving in the process. Toller is an isolated figure, alone in the world, the only thing keeping him going is being the pastor of “First Reformed”, a rustic little church in upstate New York. Yet his life is changed forever when Mary played by Amanda Seyfried, walks in to his life. Concerned about her husband, Michael an environmental activist played by Philip Ettinger, who is in danger of being pulled into the jaws of extremism.

Mary asks Toller to give Michael council and try to make him see reason before it’s too late. Yet in his delicate state of mind, it’s in fact Michael’s words that have a profound effect on Toller, as he is pulled in to the reality of Michael’s dark world. As a result, the lonely pastor is sent spinning in a downward spiral, throwing up agonising questions of faith and its purpose in the modern world.

The ideas explored in First Reformed about faith, masculinity and salvation are ever present themes in the work of Schrader, with First Reformed bringing to mind shades of his screenplay Taxi Driver (1976). After all, much like Travis Bickle, Reverent Ernest Toller is a disturbed loner who becomes detached from reality.

First Reformed’s gripping and grizzly subject matter is made even more powerful through Ethan Hawke’s absolutely stunning performance. Having been an assured and captivating screen presence for over twenty years, Hawke delivers every line with a burning intensity. Portraying his character’s increasing doubt and unhappiness with ease and in a way that provides the audience with a true insight in to the worn and damaged soul of a man at breaking point.

It is not only Hawke’s glorious performance that helps Schrader’s latest work stand out from its more mainstream Hollywood contemporaries, but also his stylistic choices. Filmed squarely in an aspect ratio, Schrader employs lots of static and long takes, helping him convey the rigour and harshness of his story.

In fact, throughout the film it often feels like Schrader is trying to make the film seem like it has been shot in black and white. With the tightness of the shot’s certainty giving it that gritty feel, and in turn casting one’s mind back to the “Slow Cinema” of the European art house scene.

Despite struggling in recent times with films like that of The Canyon’s (2013), hitting all the wrong notes and falling flat with the critics, it is clear that Schrader’s latest piece of cinema has shown us that he’s still got it. Providing us with a captivating and refreshing look at faith and its place in the 21^st century, First Reformed is certainly up there on a CV that includes some of cinema’s most celebrated screenplays.