First Reformed

Dramas can take risks into fascinating subject matter where it can present arguments that the audience find themselves engaged in discussions after their viewing. Some of these can feel honest and grounded in their mannerisms such as realistic dialog and behavior, while others can hammer in their message too much to the point of feeling manipulative and fake. While I can't think of any at the top of my head in this area, it's still an area that mainstream media is in practice of through TV shows episodes devoted to it or films that take the chance to connect to their audiences. This brings us to First Reformed, a drama that was screened in 2017 at the Venice Film Festival and written/directed by Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull). This was on my radar for a while due to the buzz surrounding the performance of its lead actor Ethan Hawke. The marketing campaign appeared interesting toward what seemed like a discussion surrounding existentialism and it earned a very positive critical acclaim. I entered the auditorium without any knowledge of the film except having heard something about the ending and I left it glad I watched it but perplexed by that third act, something I was warned about.

Plot: The story follows a Protestant pastor who encounters challenges of his faith and morality while managing a deteriorating church. What helps most of this feel grounded is how 2/3 of the runtime is without any musical score accompanying the scenes here as the realism pops out. Once the backstory of the main lead is revealed, the complex nature of his viewings are rather interesting to watch unfold. The message its leaning towards is certainly worth its value for those who prefer to dissect it even further. In addition to that, the cinematography is very nice from shots in dark rooms to those on the street. It actually cares similarities to another drama reviewed on this blog, Hereditary, where both have solid dramatic weight, the camera shots are well done, and the subject matter is unique enough in their own respective genres.

That being said, much like Hereditary, there are noticeable problems holding this back. Any sense of realism gets disconnected somewhat with a number of developments that are bizarre and disturbing to watch. There's something that's done between two characters thats weird based on their interactions and dynamic that ends up being forced as well as cheap if you think about it. In addition to that, the third act is where the suspense comes in but the film decides the viewing public doesn't realize this and adds bad stock music to display such tension, which contrasts the great choice of not resorting such measures before. While I can't discuss much more without spoiling it, there are some sequences of events that show the writing kinda chickens out of being unique, instead attempting to be artistic and hammering in its message that took me out of the experience (to those of you who managed to find and watch this movie know what part in the third act I'm referring to), though the intent is somewhat understandable.

Characters: The people to focus on are Reverend Ernst Tooler (Ethan Hawke) and Mary (Amanda Seyfried). Ernst is the pastor of an old church whose morality and faith encounter obstacles amidst the troubles from his past. The performance of Ethan has been the talk of the town when coming out of festivals and it's easy to see why as he's given the most difficult challenge in this role. With the nuances and complexities as this lead, he gives such an award worthy portrayal that it would be a mistake to snub him at the next Oscars. Mary is the pregnant wife of Michael who requests Reverend Toolers help in a dilemma. Amanda is another great highlight in terms of acting range here as she uses the amount of screen time she has to her advantage and showcases her impressive dramatic chops. An honorable mention goes to Pastor Jeffers (Cedric Kyles aka Cedric the Entertainer) and Michael (Phillip Ettinger) for their surprising performances and scenes they share with the main lead.

Overall Consensus: First Reformed thrives on great cast performances, well done cinematography, and fascinating subject matter but falters in its final third through weird and bizarre writing choices. ⭑⭑⭑1/2🎟 Runtime: 1 hour 56 minutes R

Reasons to watch it: You like any of the aforementioned actors. You like drama thrillers that provide difficult topics to discuss. You don't mind hard to watch visuals. You don't have an issue with a pastor character being the lead protagonist. You are looking for award worthy performances to check out.

Reasons to avoid it: You dislike any of the aforementioned actors. You dislike drama thrillers that provide difficult topics to discuss. You are sensitive to hard to watch visuals. You have an issue with a pastor character being the lead protagonist. You aren't looking for award worthy performances to check out. You are annoyed when the final third of any story falls apart from the great quality it had in the first two thirds like when it tries to be unusual and artistic.

Coming up next: Well that was quite an interesting yet somewhat odd watch I thought I wouldn't get more than twice this year (include You Were Never Really Here and Hereditary in that category). It was appealing enough through most of its execution and showcasing Ethan Hawke great talent. But now to counter balance the dark undertones of that, let's move onto the next festival flick that's been in theaters for a month. Tune in next time as Screening Spectacles will view and critique the feel good father daughter comedy-drama, Hearts Beat Loud!