It’s so nice seeing Jennifer Lawrence on the big screen again, and it is so nice seeing her in her element again, getting back to indie roots in a film like “Causeway.” She plays Army veteran Lynsey, who returns home from Afghanistan after suffering injuries in an IED explosion. She has to work her way back from who she is, and as she’s starting to do that, she meets James (Brian Tyree Henry), a mechanic who knows something about trauma as well.
The opening 15 minutes of “Causeway” are heartbreaking as Lynsey makes her way back to being herself, going from not being able to talk, having night terrors and then having a small victory while driving. She’s taken through this process by a sort-of caretaker called Sharon (Jayne Houdyshell). When Sharon mentions she’ll be ready to move on out on her own and take the next steps towards independence, Lynsey becomes emotional because it’s a terrifying step.
Jennifer Lawrence Completely Becomes her Character
She’s not used to being home. Fascinating even more is that when she returns home to New Orleans, she is more adamant to get away from this place and her issues and return to Afghanistan, and do something that’s familiar and she is good at. She’s adamant that she’s ready; and it’s obvious to all she’s lying to herself, as Dr. Lucas completely disagrees she’s ready. Played by the consistently great and underrated character actor Stephen McKinley Henderson, he tells her something to the lines of that, “trauma and depression have a stronger link than smoking and cancer.”
In all the authentic self of Lynsey, Lawrence becomes her; even if she is missing a distinct New Orleans accent. As well, meeting James is a fascinating thing, as “Causeway” is more of a bond between two souls than straightforward romance, as it feels romantic, but has elements of being something more powerful than that.
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This is theatre director Lila Neugebauer’s first film, and watching her bridge between stage and screen is strong. The visual language in cinematography is powerful, and her collaboration between Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry is special. The actors create hilarious scenes out of simple concepts like snow cones; and Neugebauer has a knack for creating very intimate moments between the two. One of their best moments is unpacking trauma at one of Lynsey’s client’s pools, and the closeness between them in this scene is so strong, especially when the intensity in the scene comes.
Director Lila Neugebauer Bridges Her Career from Stage to Screen Well
In these moments it feels like we’re watching a play. There’s no better example for that than the monologues the script supplies the characters with as they delve into their trauma. The haunting visuals they paint are amazing, and Neugebauer knows there’s more power in watching these two great actors show us their pain through their words, instead of flashbacks, which is something most filmmakers would do. There’s restraint here to stay in the moment.
Tyree Henry gives his best to the film as well, calling to mind his work in 2020’s “The Outside Story” about city living in New York. This film has less characters, but it’s still an effective love letter to New Orleans and needing a reason to be home. That healing takes time with these characters, and even though the storyline in “Causeway” isn’t exactly layers deep, we go deep with the two characters, and watching them heal, and a scene that comes about later in the film with Lawrence showing the best of her performance, is well worth the wait.
“Causeway” is part of our continuing coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.
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