15 Great Movies From The 2010s That Are Frustratingly Underrated
4. First Reformed
Plot: A minister (Ethan Hawke) struggles with personal troubles and trauma as his life spirals out of control.
First Reformed was one of the finest films of 2018, maybe even the finest.
A thought-provoking meditation on faith and humanity, a complex character study and an insanely effective drama all at once, First Reformed is a film that won't so much move its audience as leave them staring open-mouthed at the screen, especially during the unforgettable climax.
Paul Schrader proves he's still a force to be reckoned with through both his rich, harrowing and brilliantly-written screenplay and his strong direction, while he also assembles a fantastic cast. First Reformed further benefits from two career-best performances. Firstly, Ethan Hawke gives a masterful lead performance and secondly, Amanda Seyfried is an absolute revelation in a supporting part.
With tragic predictability, this superb film was little-seen by most audiences, under-performed at the box office and was largely snubbed by the Oscars. Its single nod for Best Original Screenplay was highly-deserved, but it lost to Green Book; seriously, how did that happen? It should've been nominated for Best Picture and Ethan Hawke should've won Best Actor, yet he wasn't even nominated.
Oh well, who needs Oscars anyway?