The month of November is here and you can smell that it's Oscar season with studios releasing their best movies for the end of the year in the hope of scoring a nomination. Jennifer Lawrence is back as a producer but also as the lead in this new drama Causeway that is being released on Apple TV+. It's not a surprise to see the big streaming services swinging for the fences to get some Oscar buzz and Jennifer Lawrence's performance in Causeway is being watched closely.
Synopsis: "A US soldier suffers a traumatic brain injury while fighting in Afghanistan and struggles to adjust to life back home."
I don't know if Causeway will be talked about during the Oscar season, but I thought the film was pretty solid. It's a slow examination of PTSD & the frustrating process of rehabilitation with strong performances from Jennifer Lawrence & Brian Tyree Henry at its core, their dynamic is what made the movie work for me even though it can be a tough watch at times considering the nature of the subject.
Jennifer Lawrence's character suffers from an incident in Afghanistan and she still has to deal with the repercussions now that she's back home, a place that she doesn't necessarily like to be. It's mostly a quiet film but it has some strong moments of emotions, especially towards the end where I felt like they did a good job making us care about the characters. The people in this movie felt very natural and that's just good casting & acting. Jennifer Lawrence can act.
The relationship between Jennifer Lawrence's character (Lynsey) and her family & friends is what drives this film. She has some work to do on her physical & mental health and we witness her journey as she tries to adjust to her new life. The bond she builds with Brian Tyree Henry is heartfelt as they share a similar trauma and are trying to help each other. It's not something I would be willing to watch again in the near future, it's a heavy subject, but at least there's some light in there to give us hope and make us appreciate the material.
Initial Score: 7/10
Causeway will be streaming on Apple TV+ on November 4th
Great review, as always. Keep it up