Restless (2011)

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Basically, it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Although the focus is mainly on the rather disturbed (and I won't say harmless, because in typical American male fashion he readily resorts to violence as a way to resolve his problems) Enoch, the story is driven by Annabel, a vivacious young girl with a sad secret. That they are both good for one another is undeniable, even for Annabel's protective (but not overly so) older sister. I wasn't sure how Hiroshi fitted into this until the end, and that realisation added much to the depth of the film. I won't say any more to avoid spoiling the journey for others.

" I've read a ton of patronizing and harsh reviews of this film that nearly dissuaded me from seeing it. From the very beginning, it seems the viewer has a distinct choice to make: filter the entirety of the film though the lens of reality/cynicism, OR embark on a visceral journey back to a time and emotional space of innocence lost. From a purely pragmatic point of view, this movie amounts to little more than over-dramatized emotional drivel: the cinematic equivalent of the most-maudlin-ever Morrissey record being played on infinite loop. However, if you choose to return to the space of innocence lost, you will no doubt be invited to recall the many dark, magical, and brooding charms of adolescence. You'll remember falling in love for the first time; the ways in which you conceptualized and romanticized death; your growing estrangement from your family...and well, maybe even your first Smiths record. When experienced as a multi- faceted coming-of-age metaphor, this film resonates deeply without trying too hard to create a pseudo-sense of nostalgia. If you: 1) are a grumpy adult 2) never wrote a poem just for the hell of it and/or 3) have always secretly wanted to donkey-punch Morrissey, you may dislike...or even loathe...everything about this film.

This is a quirky little tale about a young couple, both screwed up in different ways. Yet they find something wonderful in each other. She has cancer and will soon die. His parents are dead. Yet they find love.That's pretty much the entire film. There are lots of scenes with the pair being cute and lovable. Of course, she doesn't show any symptoms, and she doesn't mind that he has an invisible friend, even though he must be at least 16. Yes, the story line would be more believable if they were five-years-old. But as near adults it's very sickly sweet. It is also very male biased. Most of the content is about the male character, while the female is this perfect entity for him to interact with, less real, in many ways, than his imaginary friend. In fact, we're never actually told how the rest of her family feels about her death.It would have been better if the film was cut down to 45 minutes, and the next 45 minutes explained to us how the male character was going to be a successful adult while talking to his imaginary friend.

Mia Wasikowska seems to be drawn to these quirky indie movies, and she should be because she's good at them. She's the best thing about Restless, a drama about an emotionally wounded young man, a dying young woman, the ghost of a Japanese kamikaze pilot, and birds. Unfortunately, she's not the main character. That's Enoch, played by Henry Hopper. He's just not right for the role, and veers between unlikable and uninteresting. Restless also seems a bit unfocused, as well, as if the concept wasn't properly expanded by the writer into a full story. It starts off with promise, only to lose some of my interest on the way to the mishandled ending. As a result, the movie just isn't everything it could have been. I liked it, it's just hard to not be somewhat disappointed by the wasted potential. There are resonant moments throughout the story, but there are just as many scenes that just seem hollow or misplaced. Restless could have been very good, instead it's just okay.