First Reformed

This film did very little for me. It tackles subjects such as faith, guilt, environmentalism, and despair, yet I never found any of them particularly compelling. Much of the film felt more like a collection of ideas than a compelling narrative, and I found its deliberate pacing difficult to sit through.

Ethan Hawke delivers a committed performance as Reverend Toller, but I found the character increasingly overdramatic as the film progressed. Rather than coming across as a thoughtful man grappling with environmental concerns, Toller often seemed more like someone suffering from serious mental illness. As a result, many of the film’s philosophical and environmental themes lost their impact because they were filtered through a character whose behavior became less believable and more extreme with each passing scene.

Paul Schrader's minimalist style will likely appeal to some viewers, but I found it emotionally distant and often self-important. The supporting characters felt underdeveloped, and several of the film's central conflicts seemed more symbolic than human. The film repeatedly presents profound questions without offering much insight beyond the fact that those questions exist. While I can appreciate the ambition and craftsmanship, I thought First Reformed was far more interested in making a statement than telling an engaging story. The final act, in particular, felt increasingly implausible and culminated in an ending that struck me as confusing rather than meaningful.