Movies

Why Lyndsey Marshal’s Performance in Restless Will Leave You Breathless!

BBG News

Every person has experienced troublesome neighbors at some point, but the main character Nicky, portrayed by Lyndsey Marshal (known for “Inside Man”), finds them especially aggravating. In this movie, Nicky’s tranquility is disrupted when a new neighboring family moves in next door, into a townhouse with a shared wall, and refuses to turn down their music at a reasonable volume. The film marks the directorial and writing debut of Jed Hart. The cast mainly consists of relatively unknown actors, including Marshal, Aston McAuley, Kate Robbins, Barry Ward, and Denzel Baidoo.

In a nutshell, the movie “Restless” manages to convey a lot despite its minimalist plot, primarily focusing on the character of Nicky and her struggles with sleep deprivation due to noisy neighbors. Her storyline is intricate, while the overall narrative remains straightforward: loud neighbors can be incredibly frustrating, and they continue to be so night after night. Within a compact timeframe – spanning about a week – the movie effectively delivers a substantial impact.

Fittingly, The Sound Editing Makes Restless What It Is

And It Is Unrelenting

In the realm of cinema, technical aspects like sound editing are frequently undervalued, but in this particular psychological thriller, it’s the very essence that shapes its identity. At times, the most exceptional sound editing is the one that remains unnoticed by viewers, crafting a more enveloping journey into the film’s universe. However, Restless buckles this trend. Instead, Hart’s movie employs a maximalist strategy for sound, bombarding the audience with noise from beginning to end.

Right from the start, this movie is powerfully assertive in its sound design. It begins with an enigmatic night-time setting, accompanied by heavy classical music that permeates the rest of the soundtrack. This distinctive audio choice enhances the dark humor in the film, lending a grandeur to what would otherwise be a gloomy and intense opening scene.

In the movie, Nicky, our protagonist, struggles significantly with quietness rather than the noise from her neighbors, which is her primary problem. Instead, she finds solace in sounds, be it sleep meditations or classical music, to help her fall asleep at night and bake during the day respectively. These auditory components are skillfully employed to portray Nicky’s inner turmoil, generating a persistent feeling of restlessness that adds depth to the film.

The Movie Hinges On Lyndsey Marshal & She Nails It

She Gives One Of My Favorite Performances Of The Year So Far

The impact of a movie such as “Restless” hinges significantly on its primary actor. This point became clear to me while watching the psychological thriller from this year, “Control Freak“. Unfortunately, the lead performance in this film was less than impressive. Since she has mainly taken on supporting roles, “Marshal” was a newcomer to me, likely just as unfamiliar to most viewers.

In her performance as the troubled lead character, Marshal convincingly portrays the effects of severe sleep deprivation, making us feel both her physical and mental exhaustion. As the movie unfolds, Marshal masterfully delivers the film’s dark comedy, a slow-building aspect that mirrors the spread of her sleeplessness-induced delirium. By the end, we witness Nicky performing actions and saying things that her initially timid character would never have considered, making for an engaging viewing experience as Marshal skillfully showcases this transformation.

Restless Struggles To Fill Time In Its First Two Acts

But I Can’t Wait To See More From Jed Hart

Although Marshall is captivating as the main character, I found myself thinking that the movie seemed to lack the depth and intensity needed for a full-length feature in its initial two acts. From an editing perspective, the film is most effective during its first 20 minutes, where Marshall’s continuous nights of noise disturbance from her neighbors establish a rhythmic flow. However, the narrative seems to lose focus a bit, as it tries to delve into Nicky’s personal life, but fails to explore these aspects deeply enough to justify the deviations.

Despite finding the last shot somewhat overly sentimental, Restless delivers an impressive resolution in its final act, recovering some of the energy it seemed to lose in the initial two acts. Even though I felt that this could have been a more effective 40-minute short film rather than an 89-minute movie, the production demonstrated significant potential. As a debut director, Hart has undoubtedly demonstrated his ability to draw out strong performances from his lead actors and collaborate effectively with his technical crew to establish a compelling rhythm and atmosphere. This leaves me eagerly anticipating his future projects.

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2025-05-22 22:09

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