SCREEN SHOT - First Reformed

The Rev Ernst Troller ( Ethan Hawke) is the pastor at First Reformed Church. An early Protestant church celebrating its 250th anniversary. He refers to it sarcastically as the souvenir shop, because it attracts more tourists than actual congregation. Toller is divorced, and his young son is dead. He is a broken man, his faith hangs by a very thin thread of habit, sustaining himself mainly through drink.  

One if his congregation Mary (Amanda Seyfried) asks him to see her husband Martin (Philip Ettinger), a man deeply troubled by imminent environmental catastrophe, who has alarmingly even made himself a suicide vest. His wife is pregnant, but he wants the baby aborted.  In a long discussion with Martin his pessimistic views about the future clearly resonate with Toller. On another day he receives a text from Martin changing their usual meeting place. Only to find Martin has blown his head off with a gun. Blaming himself, this experience causes everything to emotionally unravel. Then his own well being comes under threat when one morning he finds he is pissing blood.

This film by Paul Schrader from 2017, was Oscar nominated for its lead and film. Its filmed in an older style compacted frame size. This and its thematic similarities to Winter Light  have echoes of Ingmar Bergman. Whilst being its own claustrophobic beast. Its colouring is muted, almost washed out, not quite to black and white . It is frequently beautifully and exquisitely framed. The church of First Reformed though immaculately well preserved, is also antiseptically pristine and austere .To the point if being devoid of any spiritual feeling. Toller's life within it mimics this emptiness and clinical sparseness. Whilst internally he is a ferment of messy questioning and anger that only comes out when he writes in his diary. 

Ethan Hawke's performance as Toller is a finely judged one, front and centre of this drama. The subtly of expression in his face, of a straining, just about managing, tormented individual, is a constant reminder to you that this man could flip at any moment. This is a probably Schrader's finest self scripted and directed film, containing many themes from his earlier writing work with Scorcese -Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, plus his own films Cat People and Dying of the Light. Its a brutal and thought provoking film that manages to play with and wrong foot your expectations right to the very end.

CARROT REVIEW - 6/8