Limitless is an edge of your seat thriller. While we are always taught by our parents to not judge a book by its cover. It is even more important to not judge a film by its trailer/marketing campaign. From everything leading up to this film we are sold that Bradley Cooper gets a drug fix from Robert De Niro and then a game of cat and mouse ensues between the two. What Limitless truly ends up being is a movie where Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is a struggling writer/slob who acquires a drug called NZT-48, a pill that allows him to recall everything from the briefest of encounters. In minutes he is transformed from a guy no one could believe has a book deal to a man no one can do without. Eddie's problem solving solutions end up fanning the flames of questions around him, and before long it seems that everyone in the city is after him. The intricate dynamics that weave this trail of lies is one of the best that I can remember in a movie in a long time.
Bradley Cooper shows how he is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood. His performance is brilliant as he is able to go from panicked addict to conversationalist genius back and forth flawlessly without losing the support of the audience. What really made Limitless in many ways unique was that there was truly no other key character for Morra to confide in or take along in the journey, Cooper's strong performance became even more vital. The downside I found in this was that the supporting roles particularly those played by Robert De Niro and Abbie Cornish did not give them the range that they are both capable of as they are reduced to merely plot points.
There are not enough words to describe how amazingly brisk and sharp the production comes across. There truly is not a single scene in this film where artistic appeal is not put in throughout. One of the aspects that has become a new way to tell the story is that of giving us a starting point where the climax is already at hand, only to then move back days, weeks or months to tell the story back to that point and beyond. With this story telling style I love how it only helps at least on my end to put me even more on the edge of my seat from moment one. A lot of praise needs to be given to the visual effects and the use of a warm color palette to show the moments when the effects of NZT-48 are influencing Cooper's character. This distinct difference really contrasts life at the moments when only the small amount of our brain is used in comparison to those moments when the mind is fully opened up to all the possibilities.
Limitless is a film that is part of a new genre that has turned up recently and that is the self discovery genre. The primary goal of this genre is simply to delve into the metaphysical realm to find out what makes us tick. Limitless ends up asking the question to the audience of what is holding each of us back from being the perfect versions of ourselves. While there are those moments where the plot is full of holes, most movies have similar plot holes that in order for the movie to be fun and entertaining the audience just needs to go with it. First and foremost for me I am there to be entertained so I am more then willing to let the movies get away with some absurd stunts or even some moments that would not happen in real life. The action keeps the pace of this film moving that those that want to nit pick the holes and say it is not based enough on reality need to just sit back and enjoy because while they were nit picking they probably missed some key elements to the action and plot.
Limitless ends up being a fun movie that will not only have you wondering some things about yourself in the end, but one of the best concepts is at the end the director allows you the audience to draw your own conclusions on certain aspects of the film. I think by allowing the audience to make the decision really can show a person how they view the world themselves. Cooper does a great performance and is truly seamless between what becomes the two separate versions of himself in the movie. If you are in the mood for a edge of your seat thriller Limitless is a great choice. I am giving Limitless three buckets of popcorn out of five. This movie is well worth the price to rent.
-The Movie Man
I completely agree with your assessment, Movie Man. It was fun to go back on the DVD and contrast the scene coloring with and without the drug. Most noticeably, Cooper's eyes go from dull blue to bright and sparkly. PS I personally think he was on the drug at the end and just tricked De Niro. His girlfriend's crusty look at him in the restaurant when he speaks fluent Mandarin is the main clue.
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