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IMDbPro

First Reformed

  • 20172017
  • RR
  • 1h 53m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
56K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,494
682
Ethan Hawke in First Reformed (2017)
A former military chaplain is wracked by grief over the death of his son. Mary is a member of his church whose husband, a radical environmentalist, commits suicide, setting the plot in motion.
Play trailer2:15
3 Videos
99+ Photos
DramaMysteryThriller
A minister of a small congregation in upstate New York grapples with mounting despair brought on by tragedy, worldly concerns and a tormented past.A minister of a small congregation in upstate New York grapples with mounting despair brought on by tragedy, worldly concerns and a tormented past.A minister of a small congregation in upstate New York grapples with mounting despair brought on by tragedy, worldly concerns and a tormented past.
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
56K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,494
682
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Paul Schrader
    • Writer
      • Paul Schrader
    • Stars
      • Ethan Hawke
      • Amanda Seyfried
      • Cedric the Entertainer
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Paul Schrader
    • Writer
      • Paul Schrader
    • Stars
      • Ethan Hawke
      • Amanda Seyfried
      • Cedric the Entertainer
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 398User reviews
    • 273Critic reviews
    • 85Metascore
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 60 wins & 109 nominations total

    Videos3

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:15
    Official Trailer
    Ethan Hawke Inspired by Paul Schrader for Grim Opening Ritual of "Moon Knight"
    Clip 3:38
    Ethan Hawke Inspired by Paul Schrader for Grim Opening Ritual of "Moon Knight"
    The Watchlist With Alessandro Nivola
    Video 1:16
    The Watchlist With Alessandro Nivola

    Photos138

    Ethan Hawke and Amanda Seyfried in First Reformed (2017)
    Ethan Hawke at an event for First Reformed (2017)
    Ethan Hawke at an event for First Reformed (2017)
    Ethan Hawke and Frank Murray at an event for First Reformed (2017)
    Ethan Hawke at an event for First Reformed (2017)
    Ethan Hawke at an event for First Reformed (2017)
    Ethan Hawke at an event for First Reformed (2017)
    Victoria Hill at an event for First Reformed (2017)
    Ethan Hawke, Paul Schrader, and Amanda Seyfried at an event for First Reformed (2017)
    First Reformed (2017)
    Ethan Hawke in First Reformed (2017)
    Ethan Hawke in First Reformed (2017)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ethan Hawke
    Ethan Hawke
    • Rev. Ernst Toller
    Amanda Seyfried
    Amanda Seyfried
    • Mary Mensana
    Cedric the Entertainer
    Cedric the Entertainer
    • Rev. Joel Jeffers
    • (as Cedric Antonio Kyles)
    Victoria Hill
    Victoria Hill
    • Esther
    Philip Ettinger
    Philip Ettinger
    • Michael Mensana
    Michael Gaston
    Michael Gaston
    • Edward Balq
    Bill Hoag
    Bill Hoag
    • Elder
    Kristin Villanueva
    Kristin Villanueva
    • Nurse
    Ingrid Kullberg-Bendz
    Ingrid Kullberg-Bendz
    • Middle-Aged Tourist
    Ken Forman
    Ken Forman
    • Middle-Aged Man
    • (as Ken Foreman)
    Christopher Dylan White
    Christopher Dylan White
    • College Student
    Frank Rodriguez
    Frank Rodriguez
    • Sheriff
    Gary Lee Mahmoud
    Gary Lee Mahmoud
    • Doctor
    Joseph Anthony Jerez
    Joseph Anthony Jerez
    • War Vet in Wheelchair
    • (as Joseph Jerez)
    Sue Jean Kim
    Sue Jean Kim
    • Suriya
    Miah Velasquez
    Miah Velasquez
    • Rose
    • (as Miah Issabella Velasquez)
    Tyler Bourke
    Tyler Bourke
    • Benny
    Natalie Woolams-Torres
    Natalie Woolams-Torres
    • Clerk
    • Director
      • Paul Schrader
    • Writer
      • Paul Schrader
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Amanda Seyfried was pregnant during the production.
    • Goofs
      The physician describes cancer treatment options referring to them as "diagnostic tools".
    • Quotes

      Reverend Ernst Toller: Courage is the solution to despair, reason provides no answers. I can't know what the future will bring; we have to choose despite uncertainty. Wisdom is holding two contradictory truths in our mind, simultaneously, Hope and despair. A life without despair is a life without hope. Holding these two ideas in our head is life itself.

    • Connections
      Featured in Conan: Cedric the Entertainer/Julian Dennison/Tuxedo & Zapp (2018)
    • Soundtracks
      Are You Washed in the Blood
      Written by Elisha A. Hoffman

      Performed by Julia Murney, Ronald Peet, Elanna White, Jake Alden-Falconer, Eric Lockley, Krystina Alabado

    User reviews398

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Grim Portrait of a Man in Crisis
    Some objectively good movies also make you feel good while watching them. Others crush you with weighty material, penetrating emotions and powerhouse performances. 'First Reformed' falls into the second category.

    Legendary writer-director Paul Schrader returns to his past glorious form with this film. Some 40 years after writing 'Taxi Driver', he unleashes another portrait of a man experiencing a deep existential crisis as he sinks further into despair because of what he perceives to be a failing humanity.

    Our new Travis Bickle is Reverend Ernst Toller (Ethan Hawke, in an Oscar-worthy performance). Toller runs a small church in New York state called First Reformed, which has a dwindling congregation of merely a dozen. Nearby, First Reformed's parent church, which has a following of thousands, is headed by Reverend Jeffers (Cedric the Entertainer). Toller and Jeffers clash over their ways to best perform the Lord's work. Toller rejects all physical possessions and scoffs at the financial success of the parent church, while Jeffers futilely attempts to convince Toller that wealth and religious commitment are not mutually exclusive.

    Toller is not a well man. He struggles to take joy in any aspect of life. His past haunts him, as do the present failures of humanity. His despair becomes increasingly clear with each passing day that he writes in his diary, which was intended to be a form of prayer and offer clarity but instead only serves as a vehicle for him to psychologically self-punish. As his mental health suffers, so does his physical state. He's sick, probably dying, but he guzzles hard liquor daily despite the stomach pain it causes. Perhaps this too is self-punishment.

    As Toller struggles to find a purpose for his remaining time on Earth, one appears before him when a pregnant parishioner, Mary (a career-best Amanda Seyfried), asks him to counsel her suicidal husband. Toller agrees, but the conversations don't lead to any relief for either party. Toller believes he finds a purpose, but anyone of sound mind would hardly consider it a Godly cause.

    This all builds to a climactic scene that will leave some viewers in breathless awe and others in maddening disbelief. I took the final moments as a welcome relief after a punishing first 105 minutes, but some may see the abrupt pivot in tone as off putting. In any case, it's certainly spiritual trip and one that will stick with you long after the credits roll.
    helpful•80
    33
    • Jared_Andrews
    • Jul 6, 2018

    FAQ2

    • What does Mary say to Reverend Toller at the end of the film just before he drops the glass of Drano?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 18, 2018 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
      • Australia
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Niềm Tin Lung Lay
    • Filming locations
      • Zion Episcopal Church, Douglaston, Queens, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Killer Films
      • Omeira Studio Partners
      • Fibonacci Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $3,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $3,448,256
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $97,562
      • May 20, 2018
    • Gross worldwide
      • $3,862,498
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 53 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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