First Reformed

"First Reformed" is a movie written and directed by Paul Schrader, starring Ethan Hawke as Reverend Ernst Toller. The story of the movie centers on Toller, a lone pastor of a small church in upstate New York, who starts to doubt his faith and sense of mission after going through a string of upsetting incidents. Environmentalism, spirituality, faith, and redemption are just a few of the issues that the film examines. For the entire duration of the film "First Reformed," there is an uncanny and unsettling atmosphere. The film's gloomy color scheme consists of almost all dull non-vibrant colors, slow camera movements, and unsettling music all contribute to creating an unpleasant mood from the start. Most of the film is shot in large rooms empty with people and no furniture creating this sense of loneliness and rawness. Themes of spirituality and religion are also emphasized in "First Reformed." As he struggles to cope with issues related to the existence of God and the purpose of life, Toller experiences a crisis of faith that serves as a key plot point. The contrast between conventional religious ideas and contemporary secular principles is another topic covered in the film, along with the function of religion in modern society. After watching this film I still dont know what to think about it, it was slow and filled with complex themes that made it hard to watch but then would have scenes that would suck you back into the film grasping your attention and making me leave it on till the end. The ending of the movie was the most dramatic and thrilling part of the whole thing, it was an ending that you thought you could predict halfway through the film. But at the last minute, it took a 180 into a completely different path.