First Reformed (2018)
Paul Schrader's austere, devastating drama about a pastor whose faith fractures under the weight of grief, guilt, and ecological despair.
First Reformed - Movie Information
- Original Title: First Reformed
- Release Year: 2018
- Directed by: Paul Schrader
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama
- Age Rating (US): R
- Runtime: 1h 53m
- Original Language: English
- Spoken Languages: English
- Release Date (Theatrical): June 7, 2018 (Greece), June 8, 2018 (United States - R), July 13, 2018 (United Kingdom - 15), August 31, 2018 (Germany - 12), August 16, 2018 (Australia - M), July 12, 2018 (Brazil - 16), September 28, 2018 (Spain - 16), April 11, 2019 (South Korea - 15)
- Alternative Titles: Iskašenik (RS), 퍼스트 리포무드 (KR), First Reformed - La creazione a rischio (IT), Fé Corrompida (BR), First Reformed (DE), No Coração da Escuridão (PT), Cesta k vykoupění (CZ), El reverendo (First Reformed) (ES)
- Production Companies: Arclight Films, Omeira Studio Partners, Killer Films, Fibonacci Films, Big Indie Pictures
- Production Countries: United States of America, United Kingdom
First Reformed - Plot
A pastor of a small church in upstate New York starts to spiral out of control after a soul-shaking encounter with an unstable environmental activist and his pregnant wife.
First Reformed - Trailer
Watch the official trailer and see the film's haunting, austere vision take shape:
The kingdom come undone.
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First Reformed - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Paul Schrader
Main Cast
- Ethan Hawke
- Amanda Seyfried
- Cedric the Entertainer
- Victoria Hill
- Philip Ettinger
- Michael Gaston
- Bill Hoag
- Kristin Villanueva
- Ingrid Kullberg-Bendz
- Ken Forman
Writers
- Paul Schrader
Producers
- David Hinojosa
- Gary Hamilton
- Frank Murray
- Jack Binder
- Greg Clark
First Reformed - FAQs
What is First Reformed about?
First Reformed follows Pastor Ernst Toller, a deeply troubled minister at a small historic church in upstate New York. After a shattering encounter with a radical environmental activist and his pregnant wife, Toller's already fragile faith collapses into obsession, despair, and a terrifying moral reckoning with God, guilt, and the fate of the planet.
Does First Reformed have a shocking or ambiguous ending?
Yes — the ending is one of the most debated in recent cinema. Without spoiling too much, the final moments are deliberately ambiguous, cutting to black at a pivotal instant. Director Paul Schrader has spoken about it as an act of grace, but viewers remain divided on whether what we see is real, imagined, or spiritual.
Where can you stream First Reformed right now?
You can stream First Reformed on Amazon Prime Video, Tubi TV, Xumo Play, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, and Darkroom — several of which are completely free. It's also available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home.
Is First Reformed based on a true story?
Not directly, but it draws on real spiritual and environmental anxieties. Paul Schrader has cited Ingmar Bergman's Winter Light and Robert Bresson's Diary of a Country Priest as key inspirations. The film's themes of ecological despair and crisis of faith reflect genuine contemporary concerns rather than any single real-world event.
Who are the main actors in First Reformed?
Ethan Hawke leads the cast as the tormented Pastor Ernst Toller in what many consider his finest performance. Amanda Seyfried plays Mary, the pregnant wife at the center of the crisis, and Cedric the Entertainer appears in a notably against-type dramatic role as the pragmatic megachurch pastor Joel Jeffers.
Is First Reformed worth watching?
Absolutely — critics were overwhelmingly enthusiastic, with the film earning a rare 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. Ethan Hawke's performance drew near-universal praise, and many critics named it one of the best films of 2018. It's slow and demanding, but deeply rewarding for viewers who appreciate serious, spiritually charged cinema.
Did First Reformed win any major awards?
Paul Schrader won the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay at the Berlin International Film Festival. Ethan Hawke received widespread awards recognition but notably missed an Oscar nomination — an omission that sparked considerable controversy. The film won numerous critics' circle awards and appeared on dozens of year-end best-of lists.
What themes does First Reformed explore?
The film weaves together faith, despair, climate change, guilt, and radicalization into a single, searing portrait of a man at the edge. Schrader frames ecological grief as a spiritual crisis, asking whether hope is still possible in a world heading toward environmental catastrophe — and whether God bears any responsibility for what humanity has done.
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