MovieChat Forums > First Reformed (2018) Discussion > Did it seem believable that....(trying n...

Did it seem believable that....(trying not to put a spoiler in the thread title)


Did it seem believable that Toller would become a suicide bomber? The film did a great job of dramatizing his downward spiral, but despite his despair and worsening mental state, I hadn't seen anything to indicate that he'd become so sociopathic that he would choose to kill dozens of innocent people.

It would have seemed less surprising if he was just planning to kill the energy executive and the other minister, but it seemed like a big leap from what we'd seen of Toller's character that he would choose to kill random churchgoers and children that were at the ceremony.

I loved how this movie dramatized the character's descent without telegraphing where it was going, so maybe it was intended to be jarring and thought provoking that he was following through with something this extreme. But, I wonder if one more brief scene that gave further insight into Toller's building rage/disconnection would have made the ending seem more congruent.

reply

Agree completely. He was a thinking man, a humane man. The animus against the obnoxiously over-bearing and self-righteous polluting industrialist makes total sense. The other miniister a bit more of a stretch. Anyone beyond that, no sale.

Perhaps his exchange with the choir director, where he tells her frankly that he despises her & himself is supposed to account for his radical alientation. The narrative doesn't adquately account for the priest's extremity of purpose, even though not realized, imo.

I found myself wondering somewhat if Mary is supposed to be a witch ;)

reply

SPOILERS AHEAD:
Also agree, that it seemed like a complete character change. Did he genuinely become radicalized by the information from Michael and the internet? Toller did have so many brutally painful things happen to him in such a short bit of time that he may have finally decided to allow himself to descend into terrorism. In the end, he did not do it but it was only to save Mary and her baby. This was such a hard movie to watch but I loved it for being hard. Toller is not a saintly protagonist but I had empathy for his pain. Poor guy.

reply

THE WHOLE THIRD ACT OF THE MOVIE WAS NOT REAL!

reply

a dream ??

reply

it was Toller imagining his inner desires, the things he wanted to do but wouldn't.

reply