Review of First Reformed (2018) by Mat M — 22 Aug 2018

It's not often that one gets to see a deep, earnest look at the life of a man of the cloth. Cinema usually takes the easy route and presents priests, reverends, and the like as depraved hypocrites fooling spirituality with horrible deeds. First Reformed is a haunting, complicated take on the often painful spiritual and worldly isolation these men may face in their service to a higher power.

Stylistically, First Reformed echoes Toller's barebones existence. The film feels meditative as shots linger statically over mundane movements in a muted color palette aching in penitential melancholy. The film is also notably shot in a 4:3 aspect ratio, losing widescreen sandwiching in favor of a smaller box composition. Still, nothing ever feels as if its lost in the smaller frame-if anything, it adds to the expert clarity with which it's directed. There's an undeniable beauty to its simplicity.

First Reformed can get slow as a result, but as Toller, Ethan Hawke's performance drives through the film's tenderness with powerful nuance. There's no embellishment to the drama; true to his character, the moodiness of the performance rests entirely on Hawke's quiet suffering and resolve. The religious elements the character plays with also carry through with universal context and refreshingly don't pander obvious lambasts at religious institutions. Though the film's ending does end up feeling a little sour, Toller is more than a critique; he's a fully fleshed out character with real flaws.

What results is a very commendable portrait of a man whose world is collapsing around him. Though its plot-driven purpose doesn't feel like it clicks until the film's final moments, the thematic subjects First Reformed touches on ambiguously leaves its audience spacious breathing room to take everything in.

First Reformed won't be for everybody. It's slowly paced and subtle in its deliberate craftsmanship down to its title, but the film's present political and spiritual relevance is no less felt to an appreciative viewer. The relationship between Toller's parish, First Reformed, and its owner, the megachurch Abundant Life, is particularly fascinating and sure to leave one thinking well after the credits roll.