Earlier this month, I highlighted my favorite overlooked movies of 2025 (so far). When assembling my list, I was delighted to discover that one of my top picks, the British thriller “Restless,” isn’t just available to watch on Prime Video now; it can be streamed for free without a Prime subscription.
Yes, there’s no Prime membership needed. Just head over to Prime Video, create an account, and you can stream this highly suspenseful psychological thriller for free this week. And take it from me, as somebody who was fortunate enough to catch it in theaters, you’re going to want to experience this movie, so long as you can handle its constantly ratcheting tension.
In the U.S., the flick skipped a theatrical release and went straight to digital platforms, so I suspect that many people won’t have even heard of “Restless.” Even in its native U.K., it wasn’t exactly a breakout box office smash. But it really doesn’t deserve to get forgotten in the slew of new movies released this year, because this thriller is a masterclass in building a tangible sense of anxiety. Here’s why you should watch “Restless” on Prime Video right now.
What is ‘Restless’ about?
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Nicky (Lyndsey Marshal) is a soft-spoken care worker, living an ordinary life on a quiet, mundane street. But her peace is shattered when a new neighbor moves in. Dean (Aston McAuley) turns out to be a complete nightmare, hosting all-night ragers, inviting very questionable friends over, and intimidating Nicky when she asks him to keep the volume down.
Enduring sleepless nights, threats of violence, constant mocking, and with the authorities unwilling to help, she is forced into an escalating war with Dean, which pushes her beyond her breaking point, and has her considering a very violent solution to her problem. Eventually, something has to give.
Also starring Barry Ward as Nicky’s bumbling friend Kev, who tries to resolve the situation without success, “Restless” chronicles a neighborhood conflict of nightmare proportions.
‘Restless’ is one of 2025’s most overlooked movies
Unlike the many dark thrillers centering on paranormal hauntings or otherworldly threats, “Restless” is so effective because of its grounded approach. A nightmare neighbor is something I’m fortunate enough to have never experienced personally, but I’ve heard stories from friends and family who have, and “Restless” takes this situation and spins it out of control.
There’s a clear power imbalance between its two lead characters. Nicky is a middle-aged woman living alone with limited options to resolve things, while Dean holds all the control in the situation, and his alcohol-fueled friends back him up. Not that he particularly needs them, he’s plenty aggressive himself. Before the first act has even ended, you’ll come to deeply sympathize with Nicky’s plight. And as the situation escalates and Nicky becomes increasingly sleep deprived, I found myself getting genuinely enraged on her behalf.
“Restless” does a fantastic job of constantly raising the tension. As Dean’s actions become more and more disruptive, Nicky’s mental state cracks further, until she makes some very unwise decisions, which completely blow up in her face. But through it all, Lyndsey Marshall is phenomenal in the leading role, often expressing her spiralling sanity without words. Aston McAuley is also fantastic. Dean is utterly loathsome, but that’s the point.
Writer/director Jed Hart also displays a real understanding of cinematic flair. Several inventive sequences portray just how frayed Nicky’s grip on reality is becoming (it turns out, lack of sleep can do dangerous things to the human psyche), and the opening is particularly successful in teasing shocking events to come before flashing back to the start of Nicky’s ordeal. That “Restless” is Hart’s directorial debut just makes its quality all the more impressive
“Restless” is a slow-burning thriller that takes its time to marinate in its protagonist’s sense of desperation and helplessness. It can be pretty bleak at times. So, it’s a shame that its unflinching rawness is washed away by a disappointing finale that feels almost plucked from another movie entirely. Considering the strength of the preceding 80 minutes, it really sticks out that the third act’s resolution doesn’t sync up tonally and go out on a whimper.
If you need further persuading to give “Restless” a chance, the movie holds an impressive 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes. But considering you can currently watch this absorbing thriller for free on Prime Video (again, even without a Prime subscription), there’s really no reason not to experience it for yourself. Just be prepared to feel a real sense of anxiety as Nicky is brought to her breaking point, and then completely tipped over the edge.
Watch “Restless” on Prime Video now
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