First Reformed ★★★½
TAXI Driver and Raging Bull…two of cinema’s most influential films.
The creative force behind them is largely, and rightly, seen as master director Martin Scorsese.
But these powerful and disturbing dramas originated in the mind of writer Paul Schrader who, like Scorsese, did his share of wrestling with inner demons.
Schrader, in writing the controversial 1988 film The Last Temptation of Christ, also directed by Scorsese, laid bare his personal struggles with his faith and the consideration of a potential calling as a man of God.
Three decades later, Schrader returns to this difficult theme with his new directiorial effort First Reformed.
Featuring an inspired performance from Ethan Hawke in the lead role, Schrader’s film is an excoriating dissection of human beings losing will and purpose in the face of indignation and despair.
If that sounds a little depressing, wait until you experience the full force of this unsettling portrait.
This is a stripped back film in every way. Technically, the presentation is in standard aspect ratio, i.e. more square rather than wide screen. The colour palette is muted, almost monochrome, with austere locations and minimalist set design.
The story and themes also embrace this stark approach.
Hawke plays Reverend Toller, the chaplain of a small but historically important First Reformed Church in Albany, New York.
It’s obvious the church itself is also facing somewhat of an identity crisis. The number in the regular congregation rarely passes double figures but its parent, the Abundant Life Church, is determined to make an event of the small church’s 250th anniversary.
On a personal level, Head Paster Joffers, has invested in Toller, guiding him back from the despair of his son’s death, alcoholism and marriage break-up.
In addition to the ongoing guilt of encouraging his son to enlist and fight in Iraq, Toller continues to deal with the temptations of alcohol and physical desire. While exuding a calm exterior, he remains on an internal precipe.
Toller is approached by Mary, a member of his congregation, with a request to counsel her husband Michael. A committed environmental activisit, Michael has now seemingly given up on life.
His personal despair at what man has done to the planet extends to believing it is irresponsible to bring their unborn child into a world where environmental collapse is imminent and inevitable.
Yes, I know, I’m despairing myself as I write this. I mean really, what’s the point of it all?
I jest, mainly because in adding Michael’s questions to his own struggle with faith, devotion and purpose, Toller takes to his heart and soul many of the issues that we all stop to ponder at some moments of our lives.
Schrader’s film asks, in the most intelligent of ways, what if the inability to change the inevitable, a feeling of utter hopelessness, weighs so heavily on the individual that they reach a personal breaking point.
In Toller’s case, he reaches the conclusion that he must make a statement, the magnitude of which will reflect the depth of his frustration, anger and despair.
First Reformed is a difficult film that many people will choose to ignore.
But, like Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver and Jake La Motta in Raging Bull, there are great rewards in staying with Toller’s journey to the bitter, unexpected end.
While the deliberately slow pacing of the film isn’t a concern because of the intense script and acting, I did feel the credibility of Toller’s struggle may have benefitted even more from having different motivations impacting his emotional state.
Nevertheless, Hawke has probably never been better in portraying a human at war with himself, his God and the World.
First Reformed is an unique vision from a powerful story-teller.