EFF: The Restless

“A deeply human film, full of the wonder and pain of family life.” — Time Out

Leila and Damien are deeply in love. Despite his bipolarity, he tries to pursue his life with her, knowing he may never be able to offer her what she desires.?  

Belgium filmmaker Joachim Lafosse was originally inspired to write the script for The Restless by his own experiences with his bipolar father. Having witnessed the effects the condition had on preventing his father from fully realising his dreams, Lafosse has crafted a compelling depiction of what it’s like to live with a bipolar disorder, and what it’s like to live with somebody who has severe episodes of mood swings. 

Actor Damien Bonnard (Les Misérables, 2019; Only the Animals, 2019) delivers a commanding performance as the painter living with a mental illness, portraying him both sympathetically while also not shying away from revealing how frustrating and even frightening he can be to have around. Bonnard’s performance is matched by actor Leïla Bekhti, playing his wife, whose capacity to commit to loving him is increasingly pushed to the limit. 

Rating

E

Language

French (English subtitles)

Cast

Leïla Bekhti, Damien Bonnard, Gabriel Merz Chammah, Patrick Descamps, Alexandre Gavras

Director

Joachim Lafosse