"First Reformed" tackles questions of faith and future. Ethan Hawke plays a divorced minister of a dying church. A young pregnant woman (Amanda Seyfried) asks Hawke to talk with her husband, an environmentalist convinced no child should come into our polluted world. Hawke wrestles with the man's position, and wrestles with his faith. Talks with the town's mega church pastor (Cedric the Entertainer) and meetings with a wealthy donor underwriting a planned celebration make things worse. "First Reformed" unfolds in a series of static shots, broken by a weird dream sequence, ending in a riddle. "First Reformed," 4 stars, rated "R." Does it deliver what it promises? Extraordinary story. Is it entertaining? Tension-filled and compelling. Is it worth the price of admission? One of the year's best.
