Causeway Review: A Heartbreaking Character Study That Delivers Riveting Performances
Disclaimer: This is an early review of Causeway from a screening at the Chicago International Film Festival. No major spoilers will be discussed in this review.
The upcoming Apple TV+ film, Causeway, allows Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry to once again highlight why they’re two of the best actors of their generation. Their performances in this film are heartbreaking, powerful, and mesmerizing.
Their careers, deservingly so, are filled with critical praise.
Over four seasons, Brian Tyree Henry’s breakout role in Atlanta showcases his immense talent. Roles in Widows, Eternals, If Beale Street Could Talk, and others show his versatility as an actor.
He often steals the scene. If Brian Tyree Henry is on-screen, you will feel it.
Lawrence’s commitment to her roles, both in mainstream and indie films, earns her critical acclaim and awards. She even won an Oscar before turning 25 for Silver Linings Playbook. Causeway could earn her a second Oscar.
It could also earn Brian Tyree Henry his first Oscar. They are that good in this film.
Causeway relies heavily on Lawrence and Henry’s ability to create engaging characters. Ultimately, this film is a character study. And Lawrence’s Lynsey and Henry’s James make it impossible not to watch these painfully human and authentic characters.
The movie follows Lynsey as she returns home after an incident in Afghanistan that has left her with a traumatic brain injury. The film starts with her physical recovery.
However, her emotional recovery becomes the main focus.
The scars of Afghanistan are minor compared to the ones she carries from life back home, which is why Lynsey dedicates herself to working as a pool cleaner and passing a medical examination to redeploy. Another injury feels less daunting than facing her familial issues.
A broken truck leads her to James, a local mechanic. She begins to leverage their blossoming friendship for one favor after another until a genuine bond and friendship form.
James makes her hometown feel less like a trap.
He’s dealing with his own struggles and personal tragedy. So, their physical and emotional scars allow mutual support and understanding.
We watch as these two individuals quietly bond and allow their vulnerabilities to show. This turns Causeway into an engaging display of open wounds beginning to heal. It’s Lawrence and Henry’s on-screen chemistry, however, that makes this so cathartic.
They match each other’s sincerity and intensity at every chance.
There are no major plot twists and no huge action scenes. There’s not even a mystery at the center of Causeway. This is a stripped-down story of finding someone to make the days a little less crappy. It succeeds because it practices restraint.
Causeway works because director Lila Neugebauer knows that the film’s strength lies in the actors’ ability to breathe life into these characters. She lets them and the film thrives because of it.
Because Causeway is a character study, some viewers who prefer a major plotline may find it boring. For fans of character study movies, the film captivates because of the natural flow of the acting, not just from Lawrence and Henry but the supporting cast as well.
Many award-season contender films have not been released yet. Therefore, it’s hard to say whether Causeway deserves a spot in the best films of the year conversation.
However, it’s easy to predict that, whether they receive award recognition or not, Brian Tyree Henry and Jennifer Lawrence give two of the best performances of the year in this film.
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Are you excited to see Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry’s performances in Causeway? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Causeway will be available to stream November 4th on Apple TV+.
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Jerrica Tisdale
Jerrica Tisdale is your favorite neighborhood pop culture junkie. She will annoy you with random TV and film facts, while complaining about whatever is the hottest new book. She has been a TV fan all her life but writing about it for over a decade. You may find her work all over the internet especially reality TV rants. She is a senior writer at Tell-Tale TV.