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 First Reformed 

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 First Reformed 
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Keeping it Light
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Post First Reformed
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First Reformed is a 2017 American drama film written and directed by Paul Schrader. It stars Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, and Cedric the Entertainer, and follows a Protestant minister faced with questions of faith and morality while serving as pastor of a dwindling historical church.

The film was screened in the main competition section of the 74th Venice International Film Festival on August 31, 2017, and was released in the United States on May 18, 2018, by A24.


Tue Sep 18, 2018 1:04 am
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Post Re: First Reformed
I don't get the praise for First Reformed. It's not terrible, just average. It never explores its theme deep enough nor does it offer anything in the way of visual entertainment. And then it just fucking ends. So abrupt and pretentious, and I feel it is more of a budget restraint than a narrative choice. Hawke is pretty damn good in it, though. And it's really nicely framed. C+


Tue Sep 18, 2018 1:16 am
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Pure Phase
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Post Re: First Reformed
I have a hard time expressing my reaction to this film, but it definitely bowled me over. It is deliberately paced and methodical, but there is a nauseating level of suspense as the screws turn and the protagonist moves closer and closer to the edge. And the improbable-on-the-surface thematic pairing (a Catholic priest's crisis of faith meets a general sense of impending environmental cataclysm) is so organic and thought-provoking...honestly, why are so many American Christians not concerned we are such poor shepherds of our earth? I also enjoy how parts of the film subtly function as a satire of hyper-sanitized, corporate megachurches.

There is such a richness to the way the characters converse (or, in the protagonist's case, write their thoughts), and the austerely framed cinematography is elegant and stately.

I believe the final scene is a euphoric dying hallucination, in large part because it so specifically shows Cedric the Entertainer not being able to enter Father Toller's quarters, then she is abruptly inside his room (as if she teleported from inside the church).

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Tue Sep 18, 2018 1:20 am
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Post Re: First Reformed
He is almost nowhere near "the edge", though, apart from in the final scene when he's barbing himself up. It's too sudden. Needed another 30 minutes of incremental change in Toller's demeanour and state of mind to really work as a reverend-turns-into-a-terrorist film, for me at least.


Tue Sep 18, 2018 1:58 am
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Post Re: First Reformed
I liked this, good film. It's very steady, slow paced, but with an excellent cast and it nicely tells the story with rawness and realism. Then once Seyfriend does the lie on top of Hawke thing the film gets elevated to something more interesting and Toller's motivations became compelling. But it's a shame that the film ended as it did, a deflating closure that took a lot of life out of the suspense building up. Ultimately it's enjoyable, especially Hawke, who I generally like anyway, is great, but through its good but nothing special first hour and the ending it isn't able to stand out among this years' slate either.

B


Sun Oct 07, 2018 1:08 am
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Post Re: First Reformed
David wrote:
why are so many American Christians not concerned we are such poor shepherds of our earth?

It is interesting, but I think it's not hard to counter that with capitalism, which it seems to me is even more ingrained in American life, trumping religion.

David wrote:
I believe the final scene is a euphoric dying hallucination, in large part because it so specifically shows Cedric the Entertainer not being able to enter Father Toller's quarters, then she is abruptly inside his room (as if she teleported from inside the church).

Nice catch, didn't realize that.


Sun Oct 07, 2018 1:13 am
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KJ's Leading Idiot

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Post Re: First Reformed
I liked what they were trying to do here and there are so many good scenes but the end comes abruptly as if they cut a lot of scenes and moved to the ceremony/climax. I like the idea of Hawke's character being saved but the blood on his shirt wasn't visible in the final scene so I think he dies with those wires and that is his mind imagining one last alternative course.


Sun Apr 12, 2020 5:36 am
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