Ethan Hawke Brings a Small Church Pastor's Crisis of Faith to Big Screen in 'First Reformed'
Oscar-nominated actor Ethan Hawke plays the lead role in the new Paul Schrader film "First Reformed" that tells the story of a minister who's suffering a serious crisis of faith.
In the thriller, Hawke plays the Rev. Ernst Toller, the minister of a small Dutch Reformed Church in upstate New York that's on the cusp of celebrating its 250th anniversary. The dwindling church has become more of a tourist attraction that sits in the shadow of a megachurch nearby called Abundant Life that boasts state-of-the-art facilities and is led by Cedric Kyles, played by Cedric the Entertainer.
Toller, a former military chaplain, spirals into darkness after one of his few parishioners, Mary (Amanda Seyfried), asks if he could counsel her husband, Michael (Philip Ettinger), who seems to be going off the rails and venturing into a form of extremism.
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"'First Reformed' follows the struggles of a reverend ... who has lost his son in the Iraq war. He tries to find solace in the ministry, where he meets a young environmental activist couple, one of whom shows signs of becoming violently dedicated to the cause. The reverend sympathizes with their views and begins to fall apart himself as he despairs about the state of the environment. The film touches on themes of faith, guilt and self-destruction, and the viewer is left to wonder what the minister's true motivations are," Schrader told The Wall Street Journal in describing the plot of his new film.
"It's not didactic," screenwriter and director Schrader, of "Taxi Driver" and "American Gigolo" told the Journal.
Schrader was raised by strict Calvinist parents in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He recalled never being allowed to go to the cinema, listen to rock 'n' roll or work on the Sabbath. Although he's no longer a Calvinist, Schrader said he's still deeply religious. He reportedly converted to Episcopalianism after the birth of his children. Just a few years ago he claims he became a Presbyterian.
"Calvinism was all the guilt and none of the ritual, and Episcopalianism was the opposite," he maintained.
Along with Hawke and Cedric, Amanda Seyfried, Philip Ettinger and Victoria Hill also make up the cast of "First Reformed." The film opened on May 18 in limited theaters and is set for a July 13 release. "First Reformed" is rated R for disturbing violent images.
