Ahead of the Oscars, we’re crossing off some of the nominees this January–along with a few films that failed to secure a nomination. Not for lack of trying in some cases. Always a promising sign when you have a young Oscar winner, a story of a soldier returning to civilian life, and critical reviews that praise the understated performances…much like this week’s pick.
The Film:
Causeway
Director:
Lila Neugebauer
The Premise:
Struggling to return to life in New Orleans following a traumatic brain injury, a soldier focuses on being cleared for redeployment as quickly as possible.
The Ramble:
Following an IED explosion while serving in Afghanistan, soldier Lynsey returns home with major trauma–physical, mental, and emotional. Her recovery is slow, as she is initially unable to walk, get dressed, or brush her teeth without assistance. On top of this, Lynsey has trouble with her memory, forgetting details from her childhood and having difficulty recalling new information.
Moving back in with her mother in New Orleans is…difficult. Lynsey’s mother was never the most responsible person, and her shortcomings seem even more glaringly obvious in the present. Telling herself it’s only short-term helps Lynsey cope; she’s determined to recover as quickly as possible for redeployment.
In the mean time, Lynsey finds work as a pool cleaner. As she’s dealing with an unreliable old truck to get around, she also makes friends with car mechanic James. A fellow born and raised New Orleanian, James has his own troubled past to contend with.
As Lynsey struggles to grapple with traumas both old and new, she becomes increasingly impatient to get the all-clear from a doctor for redeployment, despite the risk to her mental health in particular. But Lynsey’s narrow focus on this goal causes harm to those around her, especially James. Will Lynsey
The Rating:
3.5/5 Pink Panther Heads
As a slow-paced character study, this film is interested in examining the impacts of different types of trauma. It’s very much a showcase for Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry as our leads, who both do fantastic work.
Unfortunately, films where the performances are the focus aren’t always my jam. There’s not much happening in terms of plot, and some of the dramatic reveals are done in a way that I don’t find effective. What’s especially challenging about this as a character study is that our protagonists, given their trauma, are quite aloof. I don’t know that I empathized with the two as much as I expected to as I didn’t get to appreciate their inner workings. Particularly since James is such a good friend, while Lynsey seems to take him for granted, I found it difficult to invest in their friendship, which is very much at the core of the film.
The performances of our leads are compelling, though, and the film’s refusal to wrap things up neatly is appreciated.
The Pink Panther Snipes Again 
As a short story writer, reading this review of “Causeway” leaves me feeling a mix of emotions. On one hand, I appreciate the film’s focus on examining the impacts of different types of trauma and the compelling performances of Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry. However, I can understand the critic’s frustration with the lack of plot and the difficulty in connecting with the characters given their aloofness. It’s always challenging to balance the inner workings of a character with the demands of a plot-driven story, and it seems that “Causeway” may have leaned too heavily on the former. Despite this, I appreciate the film’s refusal to wrap things up neatly and the willingness to tackle such a complex and nuanced subject matter. Overall, while this film may not be my personal favorite, I can see its value and appreciate the effort put into it.
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“ films where the performances are the focus aren’t always my jam. ” … shocker.
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