Causeway

"Begin again."

2022 1h 34m EN

👍

6.5

SOLID

★6.5TMDB · 590

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A US soldier suffers a traumatic brain injury while fighting in Afghanistan and struggles to adjust to life back home in New Orleans. When she meets local mechanic James, the pair begin to forge an unexpected bond.

“Begin again.”

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Cast

Jennifer Lawrence
Lynsey
Brian Tyree Henry
James
Linda Emond
Gloria
Jayne Houdyshell
Sharon
Stephen McKinley Henderson
Dr. Lucas
Russell Harvard
Justin
Sean Carvajal
Santiago
Frederick Weller
Rick

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Lila Neugebauer
Writers: Luke Goebel, Ottessa Moshfegh, Elizabeth Sanders
Languages: English
Countries: Finland, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 4 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Finland, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Lila Neugebauer, shot by Diego García. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Alex Somers. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Robert Frazen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry and Linda Emond carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Begin again.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt10192406 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Lila Neugebauer directs. Diego García behind the camera. Alex Somers scores. Robert Frazen cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Finland, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 4 years ago.
2International production across 2 countries: Finland, United States of America.
3Directed by Lila Neugebauer, shot by Diego García. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Alex Somers. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Robert Frazen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry and Linda Emond carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Begin again.".
8IMDB entry: tt10192406 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 21 themes, including "post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd)", "new orleans, louisiana", "swimming pool", "car accident".

The technical file

Cinematography: Diego García
Original score: Alex Somers
Editing: Robert Frazen
Production design: Jack Fisk
Costume design: Heidi Bivens
Makeup / hair: Jonny Bullard
VFX supervisor: Kolby Kember
Sound: Skip Lievsay
Stunt coordinator: Andy Dylan
Runtime: 94 min · 1h 34m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Causeway (2022)

Also by

Lila Neugebauer

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Manuel São Bento2022-10-23
★ 6/10
MORE SPOILER-FREE MINI-REVIEWS @ https://www.msbreviews.com/movie-reviews/other-films-watched-lff-2022 "Causeway possesses detailed, subtle performances by Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry - excellent chemistry - who truly carry the film on their shoulders. Lila Neugebauer doesn't bring anything new to the military subgenre of "veteran returns home", but she knows how to give the spotlight to the actors, making the best possible decisions for them to shine. Formulaic and predictable but interesting enough for fans of these types of stories." Rating: B-
CinemaSerf2022-11-19
★ 6/10
"Lynsey" (Jennifer Lawrence) is on her way to a job when her truck breaks down. Seeking help from mechanic "James" (Brian Tyree Henry) she appears reluctant to give him her number. She claims she doesn't recall it... He is sceptical, but as the story now evolves we discover that this young woman is a veteran of the war in Afghanistan where she suffered an injury to her brain. With the help of him, and her physician "Dr. Lucas" (Stephen McKinley Henderson) she now tries to put some semblance of order - and fulfilment - back into her life. It is interesting, this film, insofar as it considers the perspective of a woman returning from conflict. Assumptions are made that would probably not be made about her male counterparts, and director Lila Neugebauer tries hard to ensure that how American society deals with these distinctions is writ large. Lawrence delivers quite well, she offers a nuanced effort that can be quite poignant at times, especially as we - and "James" get to know her character more, and as that character begins to emerge from her shell of shame, embarrassment and mistrust. It's not very well paced, though. Despite being only ninety minutes, I felt the points reiterated just once to often and the dialogue didn't really offer much succour to either the actors or the audience. We are left to assume too much; to project our own opinions and sympathies on her persona, and without ever possibly being able to empathise that left me feeling the drama was just a bit too sterile. As with many films depicting the struggle of returning soldiers to fit in and flourish at home, it has a profound message to send - but as a piece of cinema, there are too many lingering close ups, the score is really weak and unimaginative and it's nothing much to write home about.
Louisa Moore - Screen Zealots2023-04-23
★ 8/10
By: Louisa Moore / www.ScreenZealots.com This film was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival It’s tricky to tell a story about the impacts of trauma, and director Lila Neugebauer handles the subject with a sensitive, deft hand in her feature film debut “Causeway.” This intimate independent film is one with a narrative of pain, healing, and friendship, culminating in an extremely effective (and very human) drama. While in Afghanistan working for the Army Corps of Engineers, Lynsey (Jennifer Lawrence) was part of a convoy that was attacked and hit by an explosive device. She suffered significant injuries to her body and brain, and has spent months in a tough rehabilitation program. Now the woman is finally going back to her home in New Orleans, where she is having difficulties adjusting to her return to normal society. As is the case with many veterans, Lynsey wants to redeploy, but her doctor refuses to give her the recommendation she so desperately wants. To pass the time, she takes a job cleaning pools, and when her truck breaks down on the way to work, Lynsey meets a mechanic named James (Brian Tyree Henry). The two form a bond through their mutual traumatic pasts and wounds both psychological and physical, which turns their relationship into something more complex. The story is one of anguish, but also one of healing. You can feel the sense of inner turmoil and torment that weighs down on James and Lynsey, sinking their will to live. It’s a deeply intimate drama with a simple, strong story that makes a huge impact. Neugebauer’s film and storytelling are both beautifully crafted, further refined by the powerful, reserved performances from Lawrence and Henry (which are also among the two actors’ best work to date). Their chemistry is believable and their performances aren’t flashy, which makes for a powerful drama about broken people who need help and find it in each other. “Causeway” is painfully eloquent in a way that makes it so much more than just another trauma drama. It’s a somber look at the way humans must suffer in order to heal, and the film captures this sentiment and feeling in the most potent way.