First Reformed

Paul Schrader is back behind the camera in a film that evoked an enthusiastic response at last year's festival in Venice. The main character in First Reformed is Reverend Ernst Toller (Ethan Hawke), a pastor at a small church. Toller appears to be an unhappy man, depressed by his son's tragic death. An additional source of concern for him are the problems facing his parishioners, particularly Mary (Amanda Seyfried), who is experiencing a crisis in her relationship with her husband, a political radical. Through their sincere exchanges with one another, Ernst and Mary grow closer. Although Schrader touches on universal problems in the film, he proves that he is also an insightful observer of reality, which is why he doesn't hesitate to allude in First Reformed to events such as the war in Iraq or damage to the environment. At the same time, however, the American filmmaker does not confuse cinema with journalism and remains faithful to his own style of directing, one of the most important components of which is the courage that allows him to surprise the viewer by using risky plot twists and openly flirting with kitsch.