A very slow and quiet slice-of-life drama dealing with trauma and friendship. We follow two individuals with traumas trying to live with it and get past it. Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry both deliver amazing performances and their chemistry is palpable. Lawrence had even greater chemistry with her characters brother in this. We only see him for a couple minutes but damn that was some of the best brother sister chemistry i've seen on screen. The relationship she has with her mother was also very relatable. I feel like it didn't give enough of an emotional impact for me but still it was pretty solid.
I’m glad I ignored most of the reviews and rating this movie has gotten so far. I watched it based on the strength of the leads, and really enjoyed it. It is a bit down beat, but it’s a great character driven story, well acted and beautifully shot.
Jennifer Lawrence can lay down on a bed and stare out of a window and it'll still feel special. Great performances by both leads.
Ugh... this movie fell apart for me about 1 hour 10 minutes in - she clearly stated she was a lesbian earlier in the movie and yet when she comforts the male protagonist she goes in for a hug AND A KISS saying "I did it because I felt bad for you"?!?!?!? This is just a stupid way to cause conflict in the story and out of character for someone who said she "only had girlfriends". Guess it would've worked if she had any other sexual orientation Other than that it was a pretty decent movie
The performances are good but the film ultimately failed to engage. I'm not sure why - the characters were interesting enough - but I couldn't get invested in what was happening on screen.
"It would be good to have someone around. Have coffee with in the morning. Smoke in the evening. Cook dinner sometimes."
I didn't have many expectations as this movie was not on my radar. I thought it was going to be an overly-praised, boring movie. However, I'm pleasantly surprised by how engaged I was in this. My eyes were fixated on the screen by the beautiful but tragic characters finding a bond for their pain.
It's a patient character-driven film, with two fantastic and subtle performances from Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyees Henry. As a performer myself, it was a joy to see character choices that may be small but are significant and robust. Especially Brian Tyees Henry, who would be drinking throughout most of the film, and the way he lays his head on the beer bottle, almost like a pillow, is the only comfort in his life that makes him feel something in parts where he feels nothing.
There is always something compelling and emotionally moving watching two broken people find solace with each other.
Ultimately this film is boring and slow, nothing happens, but that's not the problem. It wants to be a deep and interesting character study, but it doesn't manage to do that. Jennifer Lawrence’s character is supposed to seem troubled and dealing with trauma but instead just comes off as detached and bored, there's seemingly nothing to explore. Also, it would be basically impossible for me to sympathize with former American military. Now I know this movie is obviously anti-war but there's something romantic and wistful about Lynsey's eagerness to return to Afghanistan.
A strong character study, focused on the two leads. Well supported by beautiful cinematography and soundtrack. A realistic telling of the processes and time involved in healing from traumatic experiences.
[tv+] The film wins with the presence of Jennifer Lawrence and her character wins with an interpretation in which corporeality, gestures and expression say much more than words. In this sense, the character of James/Paper Boi sometimes seems unnecessary, as an interlocutor who mainly serves to enhance the interpretation of the protagonist. It's an intimate and lonely movie, like Lynsey's PTSD, but at times it seems too absorbed in melodrama.
I often don't regret watching a movie, cause even when they're bad they still have something to offer. Genuinely regretted watching this. Incredibly boring and simply not well made. One of its many problems is that James' story is way more compelling and traumatic. Wish the movie was told from his POV.
Expertly acted and it dilutes the depressing nature and serious tone with some well placed moments of levity. Worth watching for the effortless chemistry of the leads. Has its flaws, but a well made indie. 6.7
Jennifer Lawrence still has it. It's really a shame that she more or less disappeared from the limelight after a series of flops. In "Causeway," she proves that she's still a knockout in quietly told character dramas. That was true early in her career, for example, in "Winter's Bone," and it is still evident today. Hopefully, we'll see her on the big screen more often again in the near future.
In "Causeway," Lawrence plays a U.S. soldier who returns home after suffering a traumatic brain injury in Afghanistan. She initially has all kinds of problems readjusting. The recovery process is long and complicated. After an encounter with mechanic James (Brian Tyree Henry), the plot really takes off, with Henry acting at least as strong as Lawrence.
Despite the slow pace of the story, I was never bored thanks to the excellent cast and solid direction. I also have to positively point out that there is always room for hopeful moments, regardless of the heavy subject matter. Only the final act, aside from a fantastic scene, did not appeal to me. Overall, the film also doesn't really offer anything new. You have probably seen it all somewhere before. But since Lawrence and Henry are outstanding, the film still works very well. That's why I give it a strong recommendation.
Two great acting performances and a worthy vignette.
watched the movie because of Jennifer Lawrence. The overall topic was interesting but for my taste a little bit too long-tailed. The last 20mins were my favourite from the whole movie :D
Now this is my kind of movie! Great acting, great storyline. Just perfect! For non action movie lovers, this is a MUST-WATCH!
Great acting and nice cinematography. But overall a really really slow moving film that doesn‘t offer much.
Review by XiofireBlockedParent2022-11-05T12:34:06Z
A slow-burn, slice-of-life drama about the lasting effects of trauma and the agonisingly slow road to recovery. A delightful bit of introspective cinema that highlights friendship and platonic intimacy over the usual cliche'd romance as the ailment to all our problems. Causeway does the delightful thing of slowly opening these characters lives through passing dialogue and insightful conversation, highlighting what has lead these two characters to their respective places that aren't so different, even if the path to get there was wildly far apart. Great piece of contemporary drama with stellar performances from Lawrence and Henry, so much is conveyed with so little and really helps the delivery of this sensitive movie. Some will probably bemoan that "nothing happens" upon completion of this movie, but I'd argue that is the entire point; these characters are contemplating and stewing on what has lead them here and how to move on. It is a character first drama, and if you're not prepared to sit back and understand the nuances of these people, you'll probably have a bad time. For me, this was some stellar drama with a fresh angle highlighting friendship instead of romance as the crutch that can keep us going in the darkest times in life. It possibly lacks a layer of depth to make it truly great, but what there is here is very good stuff for the right audience. Really good stuff indeed.
--- Spoiler filled musings beyond this point that might be off-base ---
I'm still trying to fully place the metaphor of pools and large bodies of water throughout the movie. I assumed they were representive of the brain/mind; gunking up and filling with moss/trash/rubbish that life throws in that we must continually clear ourselves of to stay functional and clear. Only then, much like at the end of the movie when Lynsey dives into the public pool, are we able to dive in amongst everyone else and lead a stable life?
The truck is also symbolic of Lynsey I suppose, giving herself over to James to work on her while she's broken down. The parts to fix her might not be in the town she grew up in, but the people can find them from else where to get her back up and running? Maybe a stretch but I like it as an allegory.
I liked the constant reminder of "matching pairs", with Lynsey playing Memory a few times throughout. Lynsey and James obviously being the main matching pair, but also their parents, Lynsey and her brother being equally ruined by their upbringing, both of them having crutches to deal with everything etc. I'd be intrigued to see if there are any other dualities throughout the movie to pull out.
It's very obvious but I enjoyed how, while Afghanistan and the bombing were obviously the main catalyst for Lynsey's issues, it's heavily implied that the unstable, rocky upbringing probably had more of a hand in her instability than the IED. While it was probably the bomb that demolished the camels back (so to speak), the uneven foundation of her childhood clearly made it much harder for her to get back on equal footing with no support system in place. As someone with very "hands off" parents, this resonated with me more than I expected and made my stomach drop a few times during the scenes with her Mom.
Unlike other movies, I was also happy to see that the movie was critical of Lynsey and her coping mechanism for her trauma too. Many of these drama films only navigate the trauma from the perspective of the main character and never usually question if their actions are justified or correct. While running away is a very easy fix, staying and being compassionate is the harder, but ultimately righteous choice that will probably lead to sustained stability and growth. We assume Lynsey will run after she/her truck have been fixed, but she finally sees that she cannot keep running and must stay to fix the wounds that are there.
I look forward to reading all the Reddit analysis and essays that come from this movie that prove me wrong or highlight things that I missed :smile: