We sent Myla to review and write out her favorite quotes from the movie First Reformed! If you have seen the movie, be sure to add your favorite quotes to this post by commenting below! We want to continue our list. If you haven’t be sure to check out her review below. Keep in mind this movie is rated R. (This post contains affiliate links. This means if you choose to purchase tickets to the film using our website, we might make a small commission.)
First Reformed Quotes
Myla Tosatto
“When writing about oneself, one should show no mercy.”- Reverend Toller (Ethan Hawke) writing in his journal
“. . . if only I could pray.”- Toller in journal
“Do you know what the world will be like in 2050?”- Michael (Philip Ettinger)
“I thought people would change. I thought people would listen.”- Michael
“. . . she looks you in the eyes and says you knew this all along, didn’t you?”- Michael about his unborn child
“Is that your right? Your decision? Have you asked Mary?”- Toller to Michael
“We’re scientific people. We want rational answers.”- Toller
“I talked my son into a war with no moral justification.”- Toller
“Are you a drinking man, reverend?”- Michael
“It doesn’t help.”- Toller
“Can God forgive us for what we’ve done to this world?”- Michael
“Remember that?”- Esther (Victoria Hill) about a group of young people
“What?”- Toller
“When everything is ahead of you?”- Esther
“Even a pastor needs a pastor.”- Pastor Jeffers (Cedric Kyles)
“I’m not made for that.”- Toller
“For what? Love? You’re not made for love?”- Esther
“Are you an activist as well?”- Toller
“I share his beliefs.”- Mary (Amanda Seyfried)
“Will God forgive us?”- Toller’s church sign
“No, I have not lost my faith.”- Toller
About the movie:
Reverend Ernst Toller (Ethan Hawke) is a solitary, middle-aged parish pastor at a small Dutch Reform church in upstate New York on the cusp of celebrating its 250th anniversary. Once a stop on the Underground Railroad, the church is now a tourist attraction catering to a dwindling congregation, eclipsed by its nearby parent church, Abundant Life, with its state-of-the-art facilities and 5,000-strong flock. When a pregnant parishioner (Amanda Seyfried) asks Reverend Toller to counsel her husband, a radical environmentalist, the clergyman finds himself plunged into his own tormented past, and equally despairing future, until he finds redemption in an act of grandiose violence. From writer-director Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver; American Gigolo; Affliction) comes a gripping thriller about a crisis of faith that is at once personal, political, and planetary.
First Reformed
Review by Myla Tosatto
Have you heard the one about the preacher, the environmentalist, and Cedric the Entertainer? I’m just trying to lighten the mood of the very heavy, yet entertaining movie, First Reformed. Paul Schrader’s (Raging Bull, Taxi Driver) latest film is playing in an art house near you.
Toller (Ethan Hawke) is a reverend wrestling with his own demons (oh, so many demons) who is doing his best to help his congregants, Mary (Amanda Seyfried) and her husband, Michael (Philip Ettinger). Reverend Toller is also trying to run his small parish that is overseen by a mega church led by Pastor Jeffers (Cedric Kyles dropping the ‘The Entertainer’ moniker and giving a dramatic performance).
Tough issues abound. Like, really tough. Like this isn’t for the light hearted tough. First one tough issue hits you, then another. And just because this movie never relents, there goes yet another tough issue cartwheeling across the screen.
You will squirm. You will be uncomfortable. But perhaps you should be when dealing with religion, climate change, politics, cancer, mental illness, war, human needs, and extremism. These are BIG topics and First Reformed takes them all on mightily. WARNING: It starts out dark. It gets darker. And yep, becomes the darkest. No escapism here, folks.
This movie isn’t subtle. And maybe that’s the point.
First Reformed is now playing in theaters!