'Causeway' Review: Jennifer Lawrence Comes Home in Slow Burn Drama [TIFF 2022]
LILA NEUGEBAUER PROVES TO BE A DIRECTOR TO WATCH FOR IN HER SENSITIVE and BRILLIANTLY ACTED DRAMA.
When a conversation begins as to who has been the biggest break out actress this past decade, it’s hard to argue anyone other than Jennifer Lawrence, and for good reason. Now 32-years-old, the young woman, already a veteran of the business, has not only gained critical acclaim and box office success in a wide range of films like The Hunger Games franchise, Winter’s Bone and her Oscar winning performance in Silver Linings Playbook.
Lawrence’s wit and charismatic persona both on and off screen have made her a rare movie star in a brand dominated business. After slowing down her workload over the last few years, Lawrence is back in more ways than one for Causeway, a slow burn character driven psychological drama that is not only a return of sorts for the actress to her indie roots but also marks a new chapter in her career as she is now making her debut as a producer.
The directorial debut of director Lila Neugebauer, Causeway is centred on Lynsey (Lawrence), a member of the US Army of Engineers who was stationed in Afghanistan when her vehicle hit an explosive, leaving her with a cerebral hemorrhage. After months of gruelling rehabilitation where she has had to relearn simple tasks like writing her name and walking, Lynsey comes back home to New Orleans to stay with her mother Gloria (Linda Emond) with whom she has a distant relationship with. Returning to the broken family she though she had left behind for good puts her in a further state of depression which leads to her getting a job cleaning swimming pools. Yet Lynsey yearns to go back into deployment as that is where she feels most comfortable despite the warnings of Gloria and her neurologist (Stephen McKinley Henderson).
Over time, Lynsey befriends James (Brian Tyree Henry), a kind hearted one legged mechanic with his own past demons. As the two bond with each other over beers and swimming, the two realize just how similar they are in terms of being broken and vulnerable people. James helps Lynsey try and rebuild her relationships with her mother and incarcerated deaf brother while Lynsey tries to get James to come out his shell and make terms with his own dark past.
One of the strengths of Causeway is how quiet and reserved everything is as Neugebauer focuses less on creative filmmaking techniques and more on human, raw character development between our two leads. The director, who honed her skills in the theatre, definitely uses her experience from the stage in that regard as it shows these characters living their lives in real time compared to the past. Lynsey’s accident is never seen on screen nor do we ever see her in uniform leaving us to imagine what she went through and how she got to where she is now. Neugebauer also does a fantastic job at making New Orleans feel like a character in the film as there are many beautiful shots of the city and its landmarks that allow for Lynsey and James to explore with each other.
Being a character-driven indie-drama, the performances are nothing short of fantastic. Jennifer Lawrence gives a performance full of raw emotion that allows her to go back to the grit of her earlier work in films like Winter’s Bone. Lynsey is a character of many emotions and depths and we the physical and emotional wounds that she’s battling that prevent her from living her life. Lawrence has always excelled at playing strong females that are passionate, independent yet human and seeing her play this type of role without the glitz and glamor one expects from her higher profile films and instead going low key and subtle shows just how much range she has as an actress.
Matching Lawrence on screen in almost every aspect of their shared performance is Henry who gives humility and kindness to his character, James. Right from the minute you see him, you know he’s gone through similar pain and loss that Lynsey has gone through but unlike her, he shows a willingness to open himself up to others. Henry has proven himself to be one of the great character actors working today but this is one of the first opportunities to prove himself as a lead and prove it he does. Every time Henry is on screen, he hits all the right emotions. The best scenes are when these two actors are together as their chemistry is just fantastic. They have deep discussions but it’s done in a believable and even light hearted way that makes these conversations genuine and real.
The small supporting cast is also good here with veterans of the Broadway stage such as Linda Emond, Stephen McKinley Henderson and Jayne Houdyshell giving small but strong work. There are times when the screenplay is a little clunky. There are some typical family drama cliches such as the relationship between Lynsey and her mother that could have been explored deeper. It also plays with audiences quite a bit in determining Lynsey’s fate. One minute it makes it seem like she plans to go back to being deployed the next and then the next it seems to build towards something more intimate between her and James. Nuegebauer is still able to navigate through these flaws by her assured direction and the amazing performances.
Causeway is an overarching human story that is touchingly empathetic in its portrayal of pain, loss and acceptance. It may not handle all of its themes flawlessly but fantastic acting and solid direction make this a drama worth watching.