Pastor Ernst Toller was led to the Dutch Reformed Church by his turbulent past. Now, at a church somewhere in upstate New York, he looks after a small congregation, offering them spiritual advice and a kind word. Although he is a source of strength for others, his encounter with the agitated Mary and her mercurial husband Michael shakes his own apparent stability. Ethan Hawke tackles the difficult role of the doubting priest with the kind of restraint that only adds to its credibility. Paul Schrader’s film about the contradictions inherent to a life in faith seethes with drama while also smouldering beneath the surface.

Images courtesy of Park Circus/Universal