First Reformed: What Does The Ending Really Mean?

2. Schrader's Uncertainty

A revealing interview with Cedric the Entertainer shines considerable light on Schrader's thought process while making the movie, most notably that he hadn't actually arrived on a concrete ending for the film even once shooting had started.

"It is one of these things where you are not sure what is going to happen. He had a couple of different ways that he wanted to end the movie. I didn’t see it until one of the screenings...Even when we were shooting, we all believed that Ethan’s character was going to go through with it."

It's certainly possible that this may have been an act of psychological chicanery on Schrader's part, to get his cast on edge and have them unsure of exactly how Toller's story would end.

Or it's possible that Schrader himself was having his own crisis of sorts, unsure whether or not to commit to Toller's fiery plan.

As such, there's a persuasive case that First Reformed isn't so much about whether or not Toller blew himself to holy hell, but that one way or another, Toller does indeed have a spiritual re-awakening...