First Reformed: A masterpiece on existentialism and climate change
Paul Schrader is one of the most under appreciated people in American cinema. Whilst directors such as Scorsese, Kubrick and Carpenter receive critical acclaim and world wide recognition; Schrader often falls to the sideline, lurking in the shadows. Alongside writing such much loved masterpieces like Taxi Driver and Raging Bull; he has also directed some absolutely exceptional movies as well. Scathing existentialism lingers over his movies like a beautifully depressing spectre. Soul searching, the hunt for purpose and the idea of masculinity are common themes throughout many of his movies and First Reformed, his latest masterpiece, is no different.
In some ways it is a humble retelling of Ingmar Bergman’s 1963 “Winter Light”; a film where a priest questions his faith and existence after first hand experience of suicide. Whilst there are definite differences with both films, the weaving of existentialism and religion are common throughout both and they do it without flaw. Different from Winter Light, Schrader points the focus of First Reformed heavily towards the imminent threat of climate change and ecological collapse. Hopelessness, loneliness and nihilism are all barraged at the viewer with full force and Ethan Hawke’s character looks on the verge of collapse in almost every shot.
Hawke plays Reverend Toller, a minister at the first reformed church in New York who throughout the film struggles with a lack of faith or moreso, a lack of trust in the church. Toller keeps a journal, writing down his thoughts and feelings of each day that passes on screen. Through this act, Hawke breathes life into the tormented soul of his character. Much like an earlier Schrader film, Light Sleeper with Willem Dafoe, the journal helps us keep track of the character’s mental journey as they progress through the film. Upon meeting climate change activist Michael his life takes a sharp turn into questioning mankind’s devastating impact on the natural world.
Themes of climate change have never been more relevant. As the skies across Oregon blaze red and large parts of Africa face large floods; the decimation of our natural world becomes an accelerating fear for many people, young and old. Schrader doesn’t just take aim on individual humans when confronting the annihilation of earth, he specifically points towards the large energy corporations. During a meeting with an energy company CEO who is also a financial backer of the church, Toller asks, “Who profits when we soil our home?” meaning the large corporations that pollute our Earth. After a lengthy debate about the politicisation of the church’s activity and about the climate change issue at large Toller declares that tackling climate change is just simple Christian stewardship. Pushing the belief that as Christians they should be fighting to preserve the Earth and not let greedy corporations fuel its destruction.
Religion and the church’s reaction to the climate crisis takes up a large part of the second half of First Reformed. Slowly becoming more and more ostracised by his fellow colleagues he becomes seemingly more frustrated that the people around him have such a passive reaction to the impending doom facing the planet. Later in the film whilst talking to his senior, he claims that the US senate still denies climate change, which in the age of Trump rings ever true. Continuing he goes on to mention the destructive nature of capitalism and how the church has stood by and let it go by without any attempts to deter it, he says “We know who spoke for big business, but who spoke for god?”.
Climate change is not the only factor in the existentialism that this film is seeped in. Remorse, nostalgia and romance are also key components to the dynamics in this film, there is no tacked on love story but merely masterfully integrated themes. Sorrow from the death of his son, who died in the Iraq war, follows Toller like a ghost. Loss of a child and subsequent divorce of his wife has clearly played an emotional toll on him and Hawke displays that amazingly. Clearly loneliness plays a large part in his life, his house is devoid of much furniture and his alcoholism runs rampant throughout the film.
Ethan Hawke is absolutely phenomenal in this film, he plays the role to absolute perfection. Every shot is incredibly well thought out, the close ups show immense detail in each character’s emotions. Despite everyone looking incredibly somber in most of the film, it is very well done. Hawke’s character looks like he is on the verge of tears in almost every frame and that is exactly what you would expect given everything else happening in the film. Another thing I really liked was the lack of music, it has a very minimal soundtrack. Often I find that lots of music can take the effect away from a film’s tone and is often misplaced. Silence adds another haunting layer in First Reformed, pauses in conversations and natural wildlife sounds breathe life into the film.
Without a doubt, this is one of the most important films of the last decade alongside being my personal favourite. From the dialogue to the perfectly executed themes this is everything I personally want in a film. It is nihilistic and it is definitely depressing, but it doesn’t pretend to be anything else. After some duds, ie Dying of the Light which I will also write about, Schrader is back somewhat in the limelight and I hope it continues on to his next film which I am definitely looking forward to.
“Will God forgive us what we have done to his creation?”
