Restless (2022)

Restless is the kind of tightly coiled crime thriller that grabs you by the collar in its opening minutes and never quite lets you breathe again, watching one bad decision metastasize into a nightmarish chain of consequences. Régis Blondeau keeps the tone lean and urgent—streetlit, morally grimy, and pulsing with the dread of being one step behind—while Franck Gastambide gives his corrupt cop a frantic, human edge that makes you hate his choices but understand his panic. The film’s pleasures are in its momentum: threats arrive from the shadows, alliances curdle, and every attempt to “fix” the problem only sharpens the trap. If you’re allergic to stories about compromised people digging deeper holes, it may feel oppressive, but if you like your action thrillers tense, nasty, and propulsive, this one is a wickedly efficient ride.

Restless wants to be a slick, pressure-cooker thriller about a dirty cop making one terrible decision and watching his world collapse, and the setup is undeniably juicy. The problem is the film often plays like it’s ticking boxes—plot twists arrive on schedule, but the screenplay doesn’t give them much bite, and several performances feel more functional than gripping. It also seems unsure whether it’s aiming for gritty crime realism, darkly absurd escalation, or a straight action chase, so the tone wobbles and the payoff can feel less satisfying than the premise promises. If you’re happy with a fast, messy ride and can forgive thin character work, there are tense moments to enjoy; if you need sharp writing and a confident identity, this may test your patience.