First Reformed 4 stars
First Reformed has been described as a comeback for writer director Paul Schrader, who is known for writing Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and The Last Temptation of Christ. He has not produced any real notable films of late until First Reformed showed up earlier this year. The film tells a dark story of Rev. Ernst Toller (Ethan Hawke), an ill, alcoholic pastor of a small declining, but historic church who is facing a crisis of faith. Toller is asked to counsel a troubled young man by the man’s wife (Amanda Seyfried) who happens to be pregnant with their first child. The husband is an active environmentalist and is very troubled by the amount of pollution that the planet is seeing. He may even be teetering on the edge of self destruction. Things take a dramatic turn for the worse and Toller sinks ever deeper into depression and his drinking. This is all going on at the same time that a 250th anniversary of the church is being planned for the church which is subsidized by a nearby megachurch led by Rev. Jeffers (the comedian Cedric Kyles, aka Cedric the Entertainer). These events serve as devices that drive the film to a very startling and intense conclusion. The film has a very stark and slow moving style that is unlike most films from Hollywood. One can see that the director’s religious background has a lot to do with the message being told. Be forewarned. Some parts of the film are disturbing, but it is certainly worth seeing if only as a means of discussing one’s own faith. First Reformed is also greatly aided by the strong performances of all of its main stars, especially Ethan Hawke. This is likely one of his best performances to date.