Over the past five years, A24 has been at the vanguard of independent film. The New York based production company started with only a handful of films in their initial year, but have gone on to produce brave cinema like Ex Machina, Room, Ladybird and, 2016 Best Picture winner, Moonlight. The company has always displayed a commitment to quality and aspiration so, although a film about the journal of a depressed priest may not seem like the most enticing sales pitch, First Reformed challenges its audience by reaching far beyond the confines of its foundational structure.
Yes, the basic premise of the plot revolves around a depressed, alcoholic and mostly hopeless reverend who decides to keep a journal for one year and then destroy it…which is a bit suspicious…but that isn’t what the film is about. Writer/Director Paul Schrader is no Hollywood newcomer, he’s responsible for Taxi Driver and Raging Bull which are films greater than the sum of their parts. Much like those films, First Reformed is a complex character study. One in which we see a man, haunted by his past, grappling with his inner demons and delving into what meaning there is left in life.
The screenplay is a brutally introspective look at a man whose life has completely caved in on him, yet he keeps surviving and does his best to help others along the way. To write someone else’s journal is an exercise in self evaluation to some extent and while the character of Reverend Ernst Toller isn’t necessarily a reflection of Schrader, there are undoubtedly shreds on himself in there. The inner monologue is well crafted and paints a dark and heavy hearted picture. As Toller engages in conversations with those around him, Schrader’s strengths as a writer shine through and inject life into otherwise benign interactions. His seemingly straightforward journey veered off course only to tackle one of the biggest socio-political topics of the 21st century which comes face to face with his own spirituality. That leads into a delightfully weird angle as the story begins to shape up, which provides an element of mysticism. Schrader blended so many different layers to the story, it’s tough to see the path ahead as you watch it…and that’s an exceptional feat. Too often films don’t dare to be risky. This was one of the most original films this year and could easily be one of the finalists for Best Original Screenplay.
The script would have been much harder to appreciate without the masterful performance by Ethan Hawke as Reverend Toller. He’s had an eclectic career to this point and has a tendency to bounce around with his roles, but this was the perfect storm. The entire film was shot over the course of 20 days and there’s a frenetic and revelatory edge to his performance. While Toller can sense his own impending end in sight, that additional layer of symmetry (the condensed schedule) between the actor and his character melded into something very powerful. It was a captivating look at a man who is desperately clinging to hope and trying to let that be his salvation. I would have to think that Hawke is leading the pack for Best Actor considerations right now.
It’s difficult to be a priest without a congregation and Amanda Seyfried was quite strong opposite Hawke. She plays Mary (wink wink), a pregnant woman who enlists the help of Reverend Toller because her husband is struggling to rationalize bringing a child into the world. In this role, we get to see a pretty wide range from Seyfried who has to cover a lot of bases. She’s a mother-to-be but also a concerned wife and, to some extent, a woman looking for God’s help. Keep in mind, she was really pregnant during the filming and her performance is even more remarkable. Her sense of humor plays well because ultimately she’s lost, just like Toller, and watching them bond over it is part of the fun. Strangely, they have very good chemistry together which is refreshing since that seems to be missing from movies these days.
One of the very first things that stood out about this movie was the quality of the cinematography. Alexander Dynan hasn’t shot a lot of films, but it’s readily apparent that he has the right eye for it. The film begins with a long, slow exposure shot of the First Reformed church, highlighting its architecture. The framing remains exquisite throughout the film, with Dynan capitalizing on the naturally occuring shapes on location. The location scouts did a wonderful job finding the right pieces of the puzzle to tell this story, whether it was a hallway or a staircase or an minimalist bedroom. The characters were molded by their surrounding and the picture was enhanced by the shot selection. There was a certain concentration of lighting effects, especially the darker scenes, that went a long way in character building. It’s subtle, but it does a lot for those on screen. It also appeared the movie was shot using either 8mm or 16mm film as the picture didn’t fill the entire screen which gave the viewing a very distinct signature. For a film on a tight schedule and a thin budget, the visual storytelling was exceptional and gave incredible depth to the project.
This was one of my favorite films so far this year. One that crept deep into my psyche and stayed with me for a while. There is a kind of existential wrestling match going on throughout the film and, while it’s fatiguing to behold, it ultimately pays off. I watched it about a month ago, right after its May 18th release, so I’m sure that I’m forgetting something at this point, but forgive me for being a bit foggy.
Recommendation: This is undoubtedly adult cinema. If it’s still available to you, I highly recommend it. In many ways it’s a parable about hope, which is fitting, but the religious overtones shouldn’t be completely off putting to non-Christians. This was an exceptionally well made film that was super weird at times, but reached beyond nonsecular lines to tell a very human story.