Jennifer Lawrence plays Lynsey, a soldier returning from Afghanistan after a traumatic experience. Brian Tyree Henry plays James, a mechanic drifting through life trying to put his own trauma behind him. Yes, they come together and help each other, but not in the way you might expect.

Directed by Lila Neugebauer, Causeway is a movie where the drama exists between the pauses. It’s a somewhat dour affair, one thankfully leavened by the setting, a hot, muggy, and lush New Orleans, and the casualness of Henry’s performance. His sheer candor brings Lynsey out of her reserved shell, and his ability to toggle back and forth between jovial and serious—often with those same piercing eyes—makes his performance feel like no performance at all. Now streaming on Apple TV+.

Causeway (2022)
Directed by Lila Neugebauer
Written by Ottessa Moshfegh, Luke Goebel, Elizabeth Sanders
Produced by Justine Ciarrocchi, Jennifer Lawrence
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Brian Tyree Henry, Jayne Houdyshell, Stephen McKinley Henderson
A24, Rated R, Running time 94 minutes, Premiered Sept. 10, 2022 at the Toronto International Film Festival

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The above blurb first appeared in the pages of Boulder Weekly Vol. 30, No. 24, “And the nominees are…“