Causeway

 It's time to get back on track watching this year's Oscar contenders. The first three I plan to cover all received a single nomination for acting. All of them are directorial debuts. The first of them is Causeway, whose only nomination comes from Brian Tyree Henry's supporting performance. Let's see how it is.

Soldier Lynsey (Jennifer Lawrence) served in Afghanistan until an ambush left her with a massive brain injury. After a stay with a caretaker, Sharon (Jayne Houdyshell), Lynsey returns home to New Orleans. Life in New Orleans isn't easy for her, especially with her mother Gloria (Linda Emond). She gets a job as a pool cleaner, but she wants to return to Afghanistan, much to her doctor's (Stephen McKinley Henderson) warnings.

One day, her truck breaks down and she brings it to James's (Henry) shop. James is also physically and emotionally damaged from a car accident on a causeway (hence, the title). They spend the rest of the movie bonding.

Its debuting director is theatre director Lila Neugebauer (Utopia, among others). The screenplay by Elizabeth Sanders, Luke Goebel and Odessa Moshfegh begins with Lynsey waiting for Sharon to arrive at what is likely the airport. Cinematographer Diego Garcia leaves the camera running on a forlorn Lynsey from behind for a long while. We see her despair even before we see her in a wheelchair. Her time with Sharon is spent mainly in a single prologue; she's all (?) better one transition later. It's a jarring development, though the rest of its 94 minutes aren't too disorienting. Slow, yes, but disorienting, no.

The film livens up when James enters the picture 22 minutes in. Henry and Lawrence's chemistry is compelling; they have one of their best scenes when he helps her fend off an unwanted admirer at a bar. His strongest scenes are when he opens up about his troubled past. His mountain of regrets is palpable in these monologues. A late-night swim at one of Lynsey's clients' pools turns awkward when she accidentally acts forthcoming. It's easy to not notice James's amputated leg in that scene in favor of his anguished face. I must say it's a good use of visual effects once I finally did. Their reconciliation leaves the film on a hopeful note.

Lynsey's story arc is all about her enjoying the small things in life. She wants to redeploy to Afghanistan despite her PTSD. She's emotionally distant from New Orleans until James arrives. She and James bond over not just their traumas, but music, their high school lives and even snow cones. She even lounges in a kiddie pool with her mother. Eventually, she meets her brother, Justin (Russell Harvard), in prison for a heart-to-heart. Lawrence's performance helps make Lynsey's arc a compelling one. The film focuses more on her emotional trauma than physical trauma, which is still a good angle.

Causeway is available on Apple Tv +. It's a slow yet captivating drama about life after trauma. Its leads have a good supporting cast, especially Henderson and Houdyshell, surrounding them. The story past the prologue has some issues with its natural progression. But you'll enjoy the leads learning to enjoy life. It's a good contender among this year's Oscar nominees. I've got plenty of films to ready for review.

Especially this year's most controversial pick.