Pratik Handore
Apple TV+’s ‘Causeway’ directed by Lila Neugebauer, is a psychological drama film starring Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree Henry. It tells the story of Lynsey (Lawrence), a soldier deployed in Afghanistan who is forced to return home due to a severe brain injury. After returning to her hometown, she befriends James (Henry), who helps her deal with her traumatic experiences while coming to terms with his own past.
The emotionally charged drama unfolds slowly but delivers some compelling commentary on themes such as trauma and the rehabilitation of army veterans. If you enjoyed the movie’s stealth approach to complex themes and moving performances, you must be looking for more such streaming options. In that case, we have handpicked a list of similar recommendations you will like.
7. Brothers (2009)
‘Brothers’ is a psychological drama movie directed by Jim Sheridan and written by David Benioff, based on the 2004 Danish movie ‘Brødre.’ It stars Tobey Maguire as Captain Sam Cahill, presumed dead in the Afghanistan War. After he is released from captivity, he returns home and receives his brother Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal) and his wife’s help overcoming his PTSD. Like Lynsey in ‘Causeway,’ Sam also struggles with trauma after serving in Afghanistan and struggles to reintegrate into civilian life. However, his experiences drastically differ from Lynsey, making ‘Brothers’ worth your time.
6. Walking Tall (2004)
A remake of the eponymous 1973 movie, Kevin Bray’s directorial ‘Walking Tall‘ is an action movie starring Dwayne Johnson. It revolves around Chris Vaughn Jr (Johnson), an army veteran who returns to his hometown only to find it infested by crimes and corruption. As a result, he becomes the town’s sheriff to clean his home. The brisk and entertaining action-flick is tonally different from ‘Causeway.’ Nonetheless, both movies follow the same premise about an army soldier returning to their hometown. Thus, by embracing its action elements, ‘Walking Tall’ produces an all-out entertainer for those who prefer the genre.
5. Young Adult (2011)
‘Young Adult’ is a comedy-drama film directed by Jason Reitman. It stars Charlize Theron as Mavis Gary, a 37-year-old divorced, alcoholic ghost writer who returns to her hometown after receiving an email from her high school boyfriend, Buddy Slade. Therefore, she believes he wants her back, leading to a comedy of errors that forces mavis to open her eyes to reality. The comedic tone of the movie and the lack of a military background for its protagonist differentiate it from ‘Causeway.’ Yet, Mavis and Lynsey are similar as they struggle to come to terms with their past and fit into their hometown.
4. The Unforgivable (2021)
‘The Unforgivable‘ is a drama movie directed by Nora Fingscheidt and based on Sally Wainwright’s 2009 British TV series ‘Unforgiven.’ It features Sandra Bullock as Ruth Slater, a woman released from prison after serving twenty years for murder. Albeit, she struggles to reunite with her estranged younger sister. The film hinges on the same principles as ‘Causeway’ when dealing with the past of its characters. Similar to the rehabilitation of army veterans showcased in ‘Causeway,’ the film highlights the struggles of ex-convicts and their dreams. Moreover, both movies are led by solid performances by the lead actresses.
3. Thank You for Your Service (2017)
Jason Hall’s directorial debut ‘Thank You for Your Service’ is a biographical war drama film based on David Finkel’s eponymous non-fiction book. It focuses on Sergeant Adam Schumann and his comrades who return home after a 15-month combat experience in Iraq. Sadly, the soldiers struggle to adjust to the civilian lifestyle while processing the memories from the war. The Miles Teller-starrer is grounded in its approach and realistically explores the PTSD of the soldiers returning from war and how it affects their lives. Therefore, viewers will find the movie similar to ‘Causeway.’
2. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Based on Matthew Quick’s book of the same name, ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ is a comedy-drama movie written and directed by David O. Russell. It features Bradley Cooper as Patrizio “Pat” Solitano Jr, a recent divorcee, and Jennifer Lawrence as Tiffany Maxwell, a young widow. After serving time in a mental health facility for attacking his wife’s lover, Pat works with Tiffany to make amends.
The beautifully filmed and heartfelt movie highlights the psychological issues of its characters in a similar manner to ‘Causeway.’ Besides, both movies feature beautifully nuanced performances from Jennifer Lawrence, who expertly uses her body language to make viewers empathize with her characters despite their flaws. With eight Academy Award nominations, ‘Silver Linings Playbook’ is simply unskippable.
1. American Sniper (2014)
‘American Sniper‘ is a biographical film directed by Clint Eastwood and loosely based on Chris Kyle’s memoir of the same name. It stars Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle, a SEAL sniper who returns home after serving in the Iraq War. However, he is unable to cope with the horrors and traumatic experiences of the war.
The movie showcases returning army veterans’ plights in an empathetic and emotionally resonant light, similar to ‘Causeway.’ Although, it also has a flavor of action and dives deeper into the adverse effects of war on soldiers compared to ‘Causeway.’ For these reasons, ‘American Sniper’ takes the top spot in this list.
Read More: Causeway Ending, Explained
