"First Reformed," a film about a Calvinist minister facing a crisis of faith, has been hailed by some film critics as a masterpiece for its unique take on issues like religion, capitalism and environmental activism.
The film, written and directed by Paul Schrader, focuses on Rev. Ernst Toller, played by Ethan Hawke, a pastor who struggles with his faith after the death of his son and the breakdown of his marriage.
As he continues to minister to a dwindling church, he is approached by a pregnant parishioner named Mary (Amanda Seyfried), who asks Toller to provide counseling to her husband Michael (Philip Ettinger) for fear that he may take his own life.
Michael, an eco-activist, wanted to terminate Mary's pregnancy because he believes that the world is facing an ecological collapse. Toller tries to console him by sharing his faith and his own struggles after the loss of his son, but he eventually becomes engrossed in Michael's ideology.
The film, which is set to be released on July 18, has been hailed as Schrader's masterpiece after the screenwriter introduced it to several film festivals, including in Venice, Telluride and New York, Vulture reported. The movie had already been released in limited theaters on May 18.
Schrader, known for his work on "Taxi Driver" and "The Last Temptation of Christ," is also courting religious audiences with by showing it in seminaries.
Brett McCracken, a senior editor of The Gospel Coalition (TGC), described "First Reformed" as the year's "most thought-provoking film so far."
"'First Reformed' feels like a personal culmination of this "bridge" of Schrader's worlds, just as it feels like Exhibit A of the "transcendental style" he's grappled with all these years. But it is bigger than that," McCracken wrote in an article published on the TGC website on June 7.
"The film is a work of art and rightly acclaimed by critics as a serious and provocative exploration of Christian faith. It makes astute observations about the state of religion generally in our secular age, as well as the toxic temptations facing Christians particularly," he added.
The movie has also been lauded by several film critics. The Daily Gazette said that the movie is a "miracle in its own regard, the rare type of film that leaves us with questions left to answer and for many, a desire to dig into it deeper through a second viewing."
An article written by Alex Rose for the Cult Montreal hailed it as Scharder's "best film in years."
Schrader, who has been raised as a Calvinist, said that he is still deeply religious although he had already abandoned Calvinism. He reportedly became an Episcopalian after his children were born, but he has claimed to be a Presbyterian a few years ago, according to The Christian Post.
