After starring in a number of mainstream and big studio films, including last year’s Don’t Look Up opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence returns to her early career roots to star in an indie film that is thoughtful and moving. Written by Elizabeth Sanders, Luke Goebel, Ottessa Moshfegh, Causeway is a quiet, contemplative, and understated directorial feature debut for Lila Neugebauer.
Causeway follows Lynsey (Jennifer Lawrence), an engineer with the U.S. military who suffers a brain injury while in service and must return home to recuperate. Lynsey’s return to civilian life is difficult, and she’s hesitant to remain with her mother (Linda Emond) for long, itching to be redeployed. While waiting for her doctor (Stephen McKinley Henderson) to clear her, Lynsey gets a job cleaning pools. It isn’t long before she meets and befriends James (Brian Tyree Henry), a mechanic who’s got trauma of his own. The more they hang out, the more they both realize there are things from the past they must — and often struggle to — overcome if they are to move forward.
Causeway doesn’t pass judgment on its characters. Rather, the film tells the audience exactly who they are while leaving plenty of room for empathy. The story has its fair share of character drama, but there are no easy answers here, nor is the film ready to tie up each conflict with a neat bow. It settles into the discomfort for a while, building towards some sort of change and growth for its characters. The ending is satisfying because of the bumpy journey, Lynsey and James’ friendship an anchor amidst the crushing waves that threaten to overwhelm them both. The film is all about the trauma that the characters carry with them from their past. They don’t really know how to handle it, so they run away instead of facing it.
Causeway is profound and gentle in the way it lets Lynsey and James anchor each other; they’re the only ones who can reveal the hard truths that are sitting just beneath the surface, issues that are too scary to deal with because they bring up questions about what’s next. What might happen if they embrace certain truths and let go of things that continue to haunt them? How might they move forward? It’s a grounded narrative that offers viewers an intimate exploration of two people who are struggling to cope, but who need each other in their loneliness and understanding. Neugebauer is content to follow Lynsey as she lives her life after suffering a brain trauma.
What makes the film different from others that explore a post-military life is that most of the traumas Lynsey must deal with aren’t the ones she suffered during her service — they are the ones from her family life. The film explores these difficult-to-overcome scars, but doesn’t push either of the characters towards any kind of redemption. It’s refreshing. The script is a bit timid, as though it’s unsure how far it should take these characters’ stories. That leads to some slow pacing, but Causeway is ultimately intriguing and character-driven enough that it doesn’t detract from the overall narrative.
Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry are excellent together. They have great chemistry and their conversations and jabs at each other feel natural. Lawrence’s performance is restrained, but not hollow. Her portrayal makes it easy to empathize with Lynsey and her attempts at healing. It’s the kind of captivating performance that reminds audiences why she is a powerhouse actress. Meanwhile, Henry continues to show his range, giving an impressive performance as James. Henry depicts James as someone with charisma, but his portrayal is far more layered than that. In most scenes, Henry’s eyes speak for him, showcasing the depth of pain that James feels, as well as his need for connection. Together, the actors are incredible, delving deeper into their characters’ psyche than even the script makes room for.
Causeway had its premiere at the 2022 Toronto Film Festival on September 10. The film releases in theaters and will be available to stream on Apple TV+ November 4. It is 92 minutes long and is rated R for some language, sexual references and drug use.