Causeway

What I like about this movie, aside from Jennifer Lawrence giving a really beautifully natural performance, as well as a primo performance by Brian Tyree Henry, is the reality of life. I won't talk about the main plot, the story itself since that would spoil it, but I will say that the portrayal of the mundane, day-to-day life, which let's face it can be pretty slow, yet fruitful (ask anyone growing up before technology) and the dialogue between the two is normal, natural, as they become friends and deal with their personal situations. I enjoyed this slice of life movie more than I expected to.

Yes this is another vehicle for JenLaw to show off her ample assets. She is reserved and nuanced here and allows Brian Tyree Henry to steal nearly every scene that they share.

BTH is a revelation here. He is a large man that delivers a simmering and sometimes explosive performance and does it with an understated strength. I hope that Hollywood is paying attention and gets him some higher profile roles.

While this material seems somewhat familiar, the female lead makes for a different turn on the whole vet returning from war genre.

Coming in at a tight just over 90 minutes, this one is well worth a look.

Nothing much happens. But it really moved me nonetheless. Not in a dramatic kinda way, but in a mellow, kindhearted, subtle way.

The story: Lesbian soldier (Jennifer Lawrence) suffering from a brain injury is struggling to heal, phyisically and mentally. And she finds a male friend (spoiler: NO romance), whom she can share her feelings with.

This story might sound a bit like a sentimental tearjerker perhaps, but it sure as heck is the opposite of a tearjerker. It's true, down to earth and heartfelt. And so recognizable and humanlike...

The good: NOT a blistering drama, no, this is a SUBTLE, moody, ENDEARING CHARACTER portrait, with beautiful photography, with a heartfelt direction (debut) and excellent acting performances.

More good: Jennifer Lawrence SHINES. She simply does. And she shines at acting a fierce, yet struggling woman, fighting to stay afloat after she suffered from a debilitating brain injury.

The many, MANY emotions that Jennifer Lawrence is capable of showing, whithout even speaking, is to die for. She is the real thing! Her opposing leading actor is terrific as well.

Any bad? Not suited for the impatient, because nothing much happens at all, but this subtle story really moved me nonetheless. This movie is an ACTOR'S movie. Full stop. And I loved watching it for these many excellent true to life acting performances.

Such an achievement to act out SO many emotions with such a simple story and with so few use of words. This is why I love to watch cinema. Bravo!

(Produced by Jennifer Lawrence herself).

But I enjoyed it. It's pace is studied. There's a tenderness to the way the story unfolds. Lawrence plays it straight if somewhat somber in her delivery. And I think this sets the tone all the way through the movie. There's very little deviation from the baseline of her recovery.

Brian Tyree Henry seems to hit on the same frequency. But the chemistry between him and Lawrence is real. The dialogue is slack and natural. A wonderful study in character that charmed me from the beginning.

I appreciate movies like this with no pretension or great overarching theme. It's a simple human film about two shattered lives that find some solace between them. I loved it for that; for all the things that's it's missing. What remains is a beautiful story.

As you would expect from A24, a quiet, not overdramatised film. Jennifer Lawrence shines, especially in the small moments, like the scene with her brother. In addition to the two strong main characters, the story also features interestingly written supporting characters such as the mother or the brother, about whom we only learn fragments of news. The original soundtrack by Alex Somers is particularly well done, really outstanding, if not the best I have heard in a cinema film this year. The rest of the background music, which deviates from the original soundtrack, unfortunately feels out of place. Look and camerawork simple but effective. 7/10.