Infinitely bizarre, “Restless” is an inspirational romantic drama directed by Gus Van Sant (“Good Will Hunting,” “Milk”) that takes us inside the world of two ill-fated teenagers in their struggle for peace and happiness.
Enoch (Henry Hopper), obsessed with death, lost his parents in a car accident and was in a coma himself for three months. To escape his bleak reality, he attends strangers’ funerals and plays chess with his imaginary friend Hiroshi, a ghost of a Japanese Kamikaze pilot.
At one funeral, he meets Annabel (Mia Wasikowska, “Jane Eyre,” “Alice in Wonderland”), a lively, good-natured girl whose hobbies include drawing birds and reading Darwin. At first, Enoch stays away from her, having constructed walls around him after his parents’ tragic death. But Annabel’s cheerfulness and gaiety bring them closer and soon they become romantically involved.
At one of their meetings, Annabel admits she has a brain tumor and doesn’t have much time left to live. This serious revelation slowly threatens to pull them apart. Enoch becomes frightened, not wanting to accept that one more person he truly loves is about to leave him forever, so he steps back into his own world, overwhelmed with anger and sadness. Eventually, he overcomes his emotions and decides to make Annabel’s last months unforgettable.
The title of the movie is ascribed to Enoch, rather than Annabel, as he is the one who feels pain most of the time. Although aware that death approaches each day, Annabel bravely denies it, enjoying life every single moment.
The movie does not realistically portray dealing with death, as we hardly see any pain or inner struggle that Annabel is supposed to face.
But that is precisely the charm of the movie. It doesn’t want you to witness the agonizing battle with cancer. On the contrary, it centers on life itself, and all the little things that make life worth fighting for.
Set in Oregon, its picturesque landscape and autumn colors only add up to the idea of building up a more pleasant tone to the film, despite the brutality of life this couple has to face.
The movie’s biggest flaw is that the plot moves along a bit too fast. The complex themes of life and the inevitability of death deserve more time to be thoroughly explored. Some scenes are rather abrupt and may not seem that believable. After all, they have to fit together in just 95 minutes.
Wasikowska's acting is impressive, and she delivers a performance that is truly, deeply felt and captivating. However, Hopper seemed passive at times, hardly changing his typically gloomy facial expression.
Nevertheless, the whole story will make you experience intense sensations, leaving you restless, but at the same time thankful for what you have. It teaches you to hope that you might be as lucky as to spend even a few months’ time with that one person who will make you feel complete, even after they're gone.
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