Here's a wonderful anomaly. Seemingly out of no where, Paul Schrader has a new film in cinemas. The shocking part is that it's actually pretty God damn great. After years in the wilderness, the writer of Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and The Last Temptation of Christ and director of Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters has at last fuelled his talents in a project worthy of him. And what a film this is. Morally complex, beautifully shot, thematically heavy and has a truly standout central performance from Ethan Hawke honestly make First Reformed one of my films of the year so far.
Reverend Ernst Toller (Ethan Hawke) is an isolated pastor at a historic Dutch Reform church in upstate New York on the verge of celebrating its 250th anniversary. Dealing with a increasingly harrowing case of stomach cancer and rampant alcoholism, Toller is a man plagued by demons (his son died in the Iraq war leading in part to the dissolution of his marriage) and a moral sense responsibility to his dwindling congregation. Relegated to a tourist attraction, Toller has to compete with its nearby parent church, Abundant Life, which boasts a 5000 strong congregation and seemingly endless supplies of money. He takes to writing a journal for a year that he promises to destroy at the end of the process, perhaps as a way to work through the various issues in his life. Along the way, he befriends a young couple, Mary (Amanda Seyfried) and Michael (Philip Ettinger), who are expecting a child soon. However, Michael is suffering from a deep depression brought about by the current state of the world, in particular towards the environment. At the behest of Mary, Toller begins to counsel Michael and is soon pulled into a world and conclusions previously unseen by the troubled reverend...
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| First Reformed is a phenomenal exercise in restrained style and performance that has some pertinent things to say in 2018 |
This is the definition of a slow burner, in true New Hollywood style. First Reformed is in no particular rush to reach any kind of foregone conclusions. The cast is excellent overall, in particular a stand-out performance from Seyfried, an actor I always underrate in my head. Speaking of underrated, Ethan Hawke just continues to shine as one of America's must under-appreciated actors. Reverend Toller is at once sympathetic and monstrous. Managing to tap into contemporary concerns such as radicalisation and the role of faith in modern society, Hawke effectively follows a Taxi Driver-style narrative that can only end in tragedy. A scene where Toller pours Pepto-Bismal into his glass of whiskey as the camera slowly zooms in must be a reference to a similar scene in Taxi Driver. Instantly, First Reformed sets itself apart from modern filmmaking by framing itself in stunningly square 1:37:1 aspect ratio. This creates the effect of almost watching live theatre; with the outer edges of the frame gone, you simply can't look away from the human drama unfolding on screen. The winter scenery is also perfectly evocative of the inner turmoil of Reverend Toller, creating an almost borderline apocalyptic kind of setting. It's meaty stuff and the juxtaposition of the rickety old church against the modern trappings of the all-singing all-dancing Abundant Life creates an evocative paring for the setting of the film that just contributes to the overall mood of the piece. In particular, the empty space of Toller's clergy home, devoid of TVs or any real connection to the outside world, just creates this sense of unending isolation.
First Reformed comes as a highly recommended watch. It's a slow-burner but one that richly rewards its viewer with an evocative tale that feels like it belongs in the now. It's a meditative piece on the place of faith in modern society and manages to appropriate Travis Bickle for the 21st century, just in priest robes. Here's hoping this signals a renaissance for Schrader.
