“Courage is the solution to despair; reason brings no answers.”
First Reformed follows Pastor Toller (Ethan Hawke) of First Reformed Church, a former Army chaplain taken in by megachurch Pastor Joel Jeffers (Cedric The Entertainer credited by his real name Cedric Kyles) following the tragic death of his son in the Iraq War and subsequent divorce from his wife. When we first meet Pastor Toller, he is having a crisis of faith, struggling to pray and struggling to understand how to address his issues. While working through this, he meets a married couple Mary (Amanda Seyfried), who is pregnant, and Michael (Philip Ettinger), environmental activists who are also struggling to work through Michael’s depression and anguish over the state of Earth’s climate and destruction. Following a tragedy, Pastor Toller begins to find meaning and purpose again in his service to God, but it may come at an extreme price.
In the micro sense, First Reformed is a film about its main character trying to find purpose and meaning through despair. While attempting to work through his loss of faith, depressive state, and disease, Toller found his faith and connection to God renewed by a commitment to protecting that which God created and loved. The pastor at first tried to use reason and catharsis to find an answer and solution to his troubles by writing about his daily routine and feelings in a journal, the drafting of which serves as narration for the film. Soon after embarking upon the exercise however, Toller finds it unsatisfactory and unfulfilling. Through his interaction with Michael and discussion of climate change, its effects, and what it means for the future of the planet, Toller finds that protecting Earth itself is what gives him a sense of purpose again as a man of God. This revelation however coincides with Toller’s personal spiral toward drinking and lashing out at those around him. This toxic mix of altruism and self-destructiveness leads Toller to determining that his concern for God’s creation would be best expressed through the selfless act of martyrdom; a suicide bombing during a First Reformed’s 250th anniversary ceremony for his church’s anniversary. Before he can go through it however, Mary shows up to the ceremony, changing his mind and drawing him to her for his ultimate comfort.
This story is very reminiscent of writer/director Paul Schrader’s most famous work Taxi Driver, which he wrote. Both Taxi Driver’s Travis Bickle and First Reformed’s Pastor Toller struggled to find purpose in lives that had become mundane within world’s that were seemingly coming apart at the seams. The combination of unsatisfactory personal lives and societies that were rapidly declining amidst immorality drove both protagonists to consider violence as both a heroic response to the chaos surrounding them, and the solution to their own personal feelings of irrelevance. And, after having his violent public outburst foiled as Bickle did, Pastor Toller ultimately finds his solace in helping a young woman through her own tumult.
In the bigger picture, First Reformed is an examination and criticism of modern American Christianity and its relationship with money, big business, and politics. In the film, Pastor Jeffers and his megachurch Abundant Life share a cozy, financially beneficial relationship with energy corporation Balq Industries and its CEO Edward Balq (Michael Gaston). The effect that this relationship seemingly has on Pastor Jeffers’ moral stances calls to mind much of the real life debate on megachurches and their relationship to wealth when juxtaposed with biblical stances on money and the poor. During the planning for the anniversary ceremony for First Reformed, Mr. Balq pointedly demands that any remarks made from the pulpit avoid “political stuff” following news reports about Pastor Toller’s role in memorializing Michael, which included allusions to his environmental protection stances that were in direct opposition to Balq Industries’ operations. Pastor Jeffries’ capitulation to the demand, even in the face of Pastor Toller’s response pointing out a responsibility for stewardship and protection of all of God’s creation called to mind the increasing entanglements many famous, and wealthy, men of the cloth have with the powerful. The effect that this has on Pastor Toller’s psyche, and his subsequent conclusions and decisions, is made very clear and will undoubtedly speak to many of those who watch the film.
The camera work displayed by Schrader in First Reformed serves as the highlight of the film’s cinematography. In numerous shots, the director plays with having the actors appear offscreen, just out of the camera’s range even after the scene has began. Having this static aspect ratio where characters can spend a portion of the scene out of sight before entering the shot is a nice artistic touch that makes the film standout. Ethan Hawke shines as Pastor Toller, deftly portraying a tormented, troubled man struggling to find himself as he spirals out of control. Hawke skillfully conveys all of the emotions involved in a person’s crisis of meaning, making the slow change experienced by Pastor Toller real and convincing.
First Reformed is an intriguing portrayal of a man facing an existential and moral crisis of conscience, struggling to find his place in a world that is increasingly at odds with his values. As his resulting choices become clear, the audience is left to ponder their validity and whether the ends justify the means. The film is moreso a character study than a twisting, intricate plot which may by slightly tedious for some viewers. First Reformed iswell shot with cinematography that flirts with greatness. All in all, it is a pretty decent film featuring a notable performance from its lead actor.
Image: A24
