What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedFirst Reformed
Paul Schrader · Film · 2018
If you loved First Reformed, start with Midnight Mass (Mike Flanagan, 2021) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to First Reformed across media.
You were drawn to First Reformed by its unflinching examination of spiritual isolation and the heavy psychological toll of moral conviction.
Books on the same thread
Crime and Punishment
Fedor Mikhailovich Dostoevskii · Book · 1968
Shares 2 threads with First Reformed: Moral Dilemma, Redemption.
Much like the protagonist in First Reformed, Raskolnikov grapples with the suffocating weight of his own conscience, forcing you to witness the agonizing intersection of morality and existential despair.
Sanctuary
William Faulkner · Book · 1981
Explores: Violence, Trauma, Social Decay.
The stark, unforgiving tone of this novel mirrors the bleak atmosphere found in First Reformed, centering on characters trapped in cycles of trauma and the crushing reality of decay.
The Power and the Glory
Graham Greene · Book · 1982
Shares a thread with First Reformed: redemption.
This story tracks a man confronting his own failures in a hostile world, capturing the same profound sense of spiritual exhaustion that defines the journey in First Reformed.
The Metamorphosis
Franz Kafka · Book · 2019
Explores: Alienation, Transformation, Existentialism.
If the profound alienation in First Reformed resonated with you, this classic study of isolation and transformation will strike a similarly haunting chord within your own internal landscape.
Series on the same thread
The Young Pope
Paolo Sorrentino · Series · 2016
Shares a thread with First Reformed: faith and doubt.
This series explores the complex power dynamics and spiritual crises within the church, echoing the institutional tensions and personal turbulence that drive the narrative of First Reformed.
Midnight Mass
Mike Flanagan · Series · 2021
Shares a thread with First Reformed: Redemption.
Just as First Reformed examines the intersection of faith and desperation, this series dives into the dangers of religious fervor and the loss of belief in a dying town.
In Treatment
Rodrigo García · Series · 2008
Shares a thread with First Reformed: Existential Crisis.
You will recognize the intense, claustrophobic focus on internal struggle seen in First Reformed, as this series strips away social masks to reveal the raw vulnerability of human suffering.
Evil
Michelle King · Series · 2019
Explores: Skepticism vs. Faith, Good vs. Evil, The Nature of Belief.
This investigation into the nature of belief bridges the gap between skepticism and faith, mirroring the central conflict that pushes the pastor toward collapse in First Reformed.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Ezra Klein Show
New York Times Opinion · Podcast
Explores: climate change, political systems, market influence.
If the environmental anxieties in First Reformed kept you awake, these conversations provide the intellectual framework for those same existential concerns regarding our collective future and political systems.
Padre Manolo Fernandez
Podcast
Explores: Gospel Reflections, Biblical Teachings, Faith.
These reflections offer a direct connection to the spiritual themes of First Reformed, providing a space to contemplate the gospel and faith amidst the complexities of modern life.
Common questions
Is First Reformed based on a book or previous source material?
First Reformed is an original film written and directed by Paul Schrader. It is not an adaptation of a book or any other source material, and there are no other versions of this story in the catalog.
What is the primary conflict driving the plot of First Reformed?
The plot of First Reformed centers on a pastor in upstate New York who experiences a psychological crisis. This spiral is triggered by a soul-shaking encounter with an unstable environmental activist and his pregnant wife.
Who directed the 2018 film First Reformed?
First Reformed was written and directed by Paul Schrader. The film depicts the internal struggle of a small-town pastor following a life-altering meeting with an environmental activist.
Does First Reformed have any sequels or related adaptations?
There are no sequels or related adaptations for First Reformed. The film stands alone as an original work by Paul Schrader focusing on the experiences of a pastor in upstate New York.