‘Causeway’ Review – Subtlety Is Not Only Its Strength But Its Superpower

Logline: An intimate portrait of a soldier struggling to adjust to her life after returning home to New Orleans.

It’s okay to struggle. None of us are exempt from the valleys, ditches, and darkness of life. With that said, not all struggles are equal, however, the experience itself is universal and we can all find common ground in that fact. So when you see someone, before you begin to judge, scoff, and malign, remember that we’re more alike than we are willing to admit.

“I’m fine. I’ll be fine.”

Making connections with others is a rather easy task, but being honest sometimes is incrementally more difficult. Directed by Lila Neugebauer, Causeway is a heart-wrenching drama where subtlety is not only its strength but its superpower. As the credits roll, words like grounded, poignant, moving, subtle, real, and human immediately came to mind. This is a film that allows the human experience to run its course in all of its beautiful pain and ugly comforts without any distractions. It doesn’t rely on unnecessary frills to get its point across. The fully engrossing story allows fantastic performances, realistic drama, and a real city to lead the way. The film takes us on a fly-on-the-wall journey of unresolved trauma, unexpected friendship, and the difficulties of coming back home. While it basks in a guarded and somber tone, there are undertones of hope that blossom throughout the southern setting.

“What if Afghanistan wasn’t the only trauma?”

This story provides us with an opportunity to experience and observe those curious moments that run through our heads. The moments when you see people together in public and you wonder, “What’s their story?” or “Why is she walking like that?” all unfold before our eyes. Following a wounded soldier in the throes of healing mentally and physically, once she returns home to New Orleans and relives moments of why she left in the first place, she crosses paths with a mechanic with a good soul but a traumatic past. Beginning innocently enough, the story begins to traverse the difficulty of loss, neglect, and avoidance. And contrary to what some may think, it barely touches on race. They are simply two people with different cultures but New Orleans and trauma bond them. She just wants to get back to work and he doesn’t want to be alone. As they struggle to be completely honest with themselves and each other in the search for vulnerability, things eventually take a turn. This quiet film is rife with kindness, understanding, and scenes that reinforce that the world and the people in it aren’t as evil as they sometimes feel. On the other hand, there are tearful moments that remind you to appreciate the life you have. It also succeeds in telling a story about an injured soldier without making it a war film. Causeway is full of the life, sounds, and attitude of southern living that I experience more times than not and it’s appreciated. The direction is excellent, the writing is amazing with haunting and vivid exposition, and the cinematography is incredibly intimate. Apple TV+ tends to choose quality over quantity and yet again, they’ve made the right decision. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of Causeway. Its rewatchability is high.

Pacing & Pop

Just as this film is detail oriented and character-driven, it features a methodical pace to match. With this kind of pace, we are able to become fully enveloped in the complicated, innocent, and emotionally heavy relationship that unfolds. Phenomenal performances aside, what popped for me was how the city of New Orleans effortlessly comes alive. Without a slew of transitional cityscape shots that resemble an early 2000s MTV reality show, the city becomes whatever you allow it to be. In this case, a neighborhood that would often be shown in a negative or disparaging manner is shown with dignity as your average community full of families, culture, and diversity.

Characters & Chemistry

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Brian Tyree Henry

This film features two of the best performances of the year. Lawrence fully commits as maintains the walk, mannerisms, and posture of a dedicated military service member that endured a terrible injury. She brings a reserved yet unrelenting determination, a quiet frustration, and a hesitant need for companionship that is all slowly bubbling to the top. Bryan Tyree Henry delivers an outstanding and unbelievably grounded performance. Dealing with his own demons, his character exudes compassion as he is willing to repeatedly go out of his way for a stranger. There is also an undercurrent of immense loneliness as well. The chemistry between the two characters is some of the most honest and human interaction that I’ve seen all year.

Causeway premiers on November 4, 2022, on Apple TV+. Stay safe and enjoy.

Rated: R

Runtime: 1h 32m

Director: Lila Neugebauer

Writers: Ottessa Moshfegh, Luke Goebel, Elizabeth Sanders

Producers: Jennifer Lawrence, Justine Ciarrocchi

Executive Producers: Lila Neugebauer, Jacob Jaffke, Sophia Lin, Patricia Clarkson, Kirk Michael Fellows, Christopher J. Surgent

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VojBOTd6Euo]