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First Reformed
By Michael Ordona,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Disturbing images in intense, mature character study.

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What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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First Reformed
Community Reviews
Based on 7 parent reviews
A build up to get wholloped at the end!
boring
What's the Story?
FIRST REFORMED follows a troubled priest named Father Toller (Ethan Hawke) as he tries to help young couple Mary (Amanda Seyfried) and Michael (Philip Ettinger) and is drawn into a tragic series of events. Perhaps because of his own past trauma and growing alcoholism, Toller may be susceptible to certain dark turns. His caring boss (Cedric the Entertainer) and loving colleague (Victoria Hill) try to help before something bad happens.
Is It Any Good?
This might sound convenient because writer-director Paul Schrader also wrote Taxi Driver, but this drama could be viewed as a companion piece to that classic. Set in the priesthood, First Reformed follows a PTSD sufferer down a dark road searching for a guiding light. Hawke's placid surface and intellectual rigor as Father Toller belie the roiling beneath. He hasn't overcome his past guilt, and when the opportunity to participate fully in something larger than himself presents itself, you have to imagine that the urge isn't dissimilar to what led him to the clergy in the first place. Schrader takes a slow, calm, direct, almost Kubrickian path here: long, static takes; minimal score; few moments of over-the-top emotion. What emerges is a portrait -- almost a still-life -- of radicalization.
The acting is solid all around. Ettinger shines as a passionate young husband. Hill is sympathetic as the choir director who loves Father Toller. As the leader of the church/corporation that employs Toller, Cedric the Entertainer balances priorities of compassion and the bottom line. Schrader allows only one clear villain (a heartless CEO), and his dramatic purpose is clear: to muddy the waters for viewers' rooting interests. First Reformed is carefully considered and cleanly executed. Its final scene makes an interesting argument for what might cure the sickness that seems to infect so many with violent thoughts.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the clergy are typically portrayed in movies and on TV. How does First Reformed compare? Does it present them as multidimensional human beings or give you insight into why they chose their profession? Do you believe the characters' concerns?
Were you surprised by the path Toller took after the young man's death? Why do you think he became interested in those actions?
How does the film address and portray suicide? What's the best way to approach difficult topics like this with kids?
What do you think the movie's ending means? Has tragedy been averted or merely delayed?
Movie Details
- In theaters: May 18, 2018
- On DVD or streaming: August 21, 2018
- Cast: Ethan Hawke , Amanda Seyfried , Cedric the Entertainer
- Director: Paul Schrader
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Black actors
- Studio: A24
- Genre: Drama
- Run time: 108 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: some disturbing violent images
- Last updated: December 2, 2022
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