'Causeway' Explores Toxic Masculinity Through Its Protagonists
The message to take away from 'Causeway' is that toxic masculinity can manifest in anyone, no matter what their gender identity is.

He was the most popular guy in town: a troublemaker, a jokester, with connections in the criminal world. She was an excellent student, the beloved daughter of the police chief. A tumultuous romance followed. Then he tried heroin. She spent the first year fighting, the second year praying, and then she simply vanished. Ten years later, they suddenly reconnect.
The message to take away from 'Causeway' is that toxic masculinity can manifest in anyone, no matter what their gender identity is.
At its heart, it’s a fond tribute to an influential artist and thus one that can speak to everyone’s inner artist, even if it lacks the sincere commentary you may wish to see.
The thing is, people like Wahlberg will only apologize if they have something to lose, which he did. His glamorous life, his reputation, and his career were all at stake.
The gentle, emotional nuances of Evan’s coming-of-age story would have been so beneficial to have incorporated into the life of a POC character. Showing a Black, Asian or Latino young man that is afforded the space to be vulnerable, flawed and sensitive while driving a compelling and widely-loved narrative would have been a game changer.
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J Brooke, Incluvie Guest Columnist on 'Life and Beth' and 'Sort of': while living one’s truth is freedom, speaking it as a mandatory assignment can become captivity.