If you’ve ever lived somewhere that wasn’t remote farmland in the midst of nowhere, you’ve most likely hated a neighbor. I adamantly refuse to believe at some point in one’s life there hasn’t been a neighbor that hasn’t driven you to the point of absolute insanity, whether it was a direct neighbor or someone just nearby, it’s happened. Usually, it would be safe to say what happens in Jed Hart’s feature debut in Restless isn’t the lengths of what happens in most situations, but what does occur is a hellish nightmare than is elevated by a brilliant and leveled performance.
Lyndsey Marshal as Nicky in RESTLESS. Photo courtesy of Haus Pictures/Tribeca Film Festival.
The movie focuses on Nicky (Lyndsey Marshal), who’s recently become neighborless, and the audience is unaware as to why. She seems a little upset and perturbed about the fact that she’s alone and that someone new is moving in, but it easily could be chalked up to the fact that she doesn’t generally enjoy the company of others and wants her own space. She is a nurse and works varying hours and doesn’t want her sleep and peace to be disturbed, understandably. Her entire world is thrown into the depths of hell when Deano (Aston McAuley) moves in and a revolving door of his friends are constantly over. While the terrible behavior starts as just nonsense with partying until all hours of the night, blasting music incessantly until the early morning, making it impossible to sleep, it only escalates from there.
L-R: Lyndsey Marshal as Nicky and Aston McAuley as Deano in RESTLESS. Photo courtesy of Haus Pictures/Tribeca Film Festival.
While there are some ways to handle terrible neighbors, Nicky tries the appropriate way first by talking to Deano. However, Deano is an unreasonable person and agrees to Nicky’s question of keeping it down at a reasonable hour and proceeds to be an obnoxious individual until Nicky resorts to calling the police. This effort ends up being rather futile, though, as Deano isn’t technically doing anything wrong, and, in turn, Nicky takes matters into her own hands. To set things up without divulging what Nicky does, Deano takes it way too far and it leaves the audience siding with every single thing Nicky does, hoping she goes further than she eventually does.
What works for Restless are the script and direction that Jed Hart brings to the forefront. He creates a world of unease and distress with the real-world elements that have plagued almost every adult at some point in their lives, bringing forth a story that truly withstands the test of time. He crafts this world for the audience to indulge in and adds an element of torture in the sense that sleep deprivation creates a world of unease and chaos. With so many real aspects that are relatable to audiences, and the sheer uncomfortable turn that comes within the third act, audiences will fully back and support Nicky on her adventure to take down Deano and reclaim her peace.
Lyndsey Marshal as Nicky in RESTLESS. Photo courtesy of Haus Pictures/Tribeca Film Festival.
Moreover, Restless works because the two performances from both Aston McAuley (Rocketman) and Lyndsey Marshal (The Hours) are anything shy of the title suggests. Both of their performances are filled with energy and charisma that transcend past the screen. Aston as Deano, who wants to be the partier who has no regard for his neighbor or being courteous, shines as the downright a-hole and gets the audience to truly hate him. While Lyndsey’s performance as Nicky is grounded and filled with rage and short-sighted ideas that come from Nicky’s sleep deprivation. Restless captures the importance of rest and sleep while also focusing on the importance of being neighborly, because if you’re not, not only can the events unfold against you, but you would truly be the thorn in someone’s side.
Screening during Tribeca Film Festival 2024.
Available on digital May 23rd, 2025.
For more information, head to the official Tribeca 2024 Restless webpage.
Final Score: 3.5 out of 5.
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Categories: In Theaters, Reviews
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