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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been a popular topic in movies for quite some time. From older films such as Taxi Driver and First Blood to more modern ones such as The Hurt Locker and Thank You For Your Service, PTSD is a subject filmmakers often go to when depicting the horrors of war. However, very few war movies focus on physical ailments, and that's where Causeway comes in. This new film stars Jennifer Lawrence as a returning US soldier who is having trouble readjusting to civilian life due to a traumatic brain injury she sustained while fighting in Afghanistan.
If you're a fan of Lawrence or are simply interested in this movie, here's a handy, easy-to-read guide that explains everything we know so far about Causeway.
Is Causeway Based on a True Story?
No, Causeway is not based on a true story. However, the film's narrative is one that many returning soldiers can likely relate to, and that's what makes this story more tragic. Hopefully, Causeway succeeds at paying respect to these soldiers and makes their stories known to the general public.
What Is Causeway About?
Right now, this is the closest we have to a plot synopsis for Causeway:
'Causeway' is an intimate portrait of a soldier struggling to adjust to her life after returning home to New Orleans.
Based on what little is there, this movie could be a somber yet effective look at dealing with trauma. Jane Schoettle, this year's Special Presentations programmer at TIFF, wrote that Causeway "shows an uncommon sensitivity to the ways we cope with trauma, simultaneously reaching out and shielding ourselves from further harm." She also wrote that the film is "about what it means to share a homeplace, drawing upon an all-star crew of artists...to render New Orleans a central character in this story of trust, tenderness, and letting the world into your heart, little by little." It will be interesting to see how the filmmakers turn New Orleans into a character, but the story will be very emotional nonetheless.
Is There a Trailer for Causeway?
The official trailer for Causeway launched on October 6, the near two-minute spot highlights the unlikely friendship that starts to brew between Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry's characters and a tease at their supposed inner demons.
When Will Causeway Be Released, and Where Can You Watch It?
Causeway will be released on November 4, 2022, on Apple TV+, just in time for the awards season. No word yet on if the movie will play in theaters but considering the Academy reinstated the rules where all movies must play in theaters for at least seven days in one of six approved metropolitan areas, then Causeway will most likely receive a limited theatrical release.
Before that, Causeway made its world premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 10. The movie also had its European premiere at the 2022 British Film Institute (BFI) London Film Festival on October 8.
Who's In the Cast of Causeway?
Jennifer Lawrence plays Lynsey, a member of the US Army Corps of Engineers who, when returning to New Orleans, struggles with her traumatic injuries sustained from a vehicular explosion. The Oscar-winning actress has appeared in action-packed blockbusters such as The Hunger Games, X-Men: First Class, and Red Sparrow as well as more dramatic awards fare such as Winter's Bone, Silver Linings Playbook, and American Hustle. Lawrence explained to Vogue how the COVID-19 production delay affected her approach to this role:
"Her untenable home, her inability to commit to one thing or another because of these internal injuries that are completely invisible but huge—I think I connected with that at that specific time in my life. So much was going on with me at that time that I didn’t realize. Until I was back, pregnant, married, making it. And I was just like, Oh, this is a woman who is scared to commit.”
Brian Tyree Henry plays James, a mechanic with similar injuries who bonds with Lynsey over their shared trauma. Henry is best known for playing Alfred "Paper Boi" Miles in the FX series Atlanta, which netted him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. He's also appeared in several movies including Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Godzilla vs. Kong, and Bullet Train. Henry also talked about how he wanted to approach James' relationship with Lynsey:
“I’m always really conscious of what the relationships look like when you have a Black man and a white woman in this society. There’s something about when somebody sees another person for who they truly are because of what they’ve lost. And you lean into that. And you’re like, Oh, well, I’ve lost too. Are we going to continue losing together? Are we going to build each other up?”
Other actors in Causeway include Linda Emond (Succession), Stephen McKinley Henderson (Dune), Russell Harvard (There Will Be Blood), and Jayne Houdyshell (Only Murders in the Building).
Who Wrote and Directed Causeway?
Causeway is the feature-length directorial debut of Lila Neugebauer. She got her start in theater directing several off-Broadway plays such as Zoe Kazan's Trudy and Max in Love, Tom Stoppard's Arcadia, and Tracy Letts' Mary Page Marlowe before making her Broadway debut in 2018 with Kenneth Lonergan's revival of The Waverly Gallery. She would go on to direct episodes of several television and streaming shows including Room 104, Maid, and The Sex Lives of College Girls. Neugebauer also serves as an executive producer on Causeway. The film also comes from first-time screenwriters Elizabeth Sanders, Luke Goebel, and Ottessa Moshfegh. Despite not having any prior experience writing movies and TV shows, these three credited scribes have each still written at least one novel.
The crew of Causeway includes composer Alex Somers (Captain Fantastic), cinematographer Diego Garcia (Wildlife), editors Robert Frazen (I'm Thinking of Ending Things) and Lucian Johnson (Hereditary), and production designer Jack Fisk (There Will Be Blood). Causeway is produced by Excellent Cadaver, IAC Films, and A24. Lawrence founded the first of these three companies while the other two have already worked on several critically acclaimed films such as Lady Bird, Uncut Gems, and Everything Everywhere All at Once. As for the distributor of Causeway, Apple TV+ is hot off the heels of their movie CODA winning Best Picture at the 2022 Oscars, and this new movie could potentially be a player in the next awards season.