Review of Limitless (2011) by The D — 23 May 2013

(6.5/10).

Limitless is an odd little movie that's sometimes confused about what it wants to be. Sometimes it's a straight thriller, sometimes it turns into sci-fi and is sometimes an action movie. These elements can certainly work very well together and have done so in the past, but it seems like Limitless is too uneven to live up to its full potential. The movie stars Bradley Cooper, Robert DeNiro and is directed by Neil Burger.

This is certainly not a bad movie by any means, but it is a fairly uneven and it doesn't do too much to distinguish itself from other, better movies. The plot of this movie centers on Bradley Cooper, who plays a would-be, failing writer. He is struggling to make a living until he gets this super-pill that allows him to utilize 100% of his brain and become super smart. He then uses his powers to make millions in the stock market. All seems to be going well when he meets Robert DeNiro, who is a mogul-type and is interested in Bradley Cooper and his abilities. Bradley Cooper soon finds out that he may be in danger when a bunch of dangerous people are willing to do anything to get their hands on this new drug, no matter the cost.

This movie is fast-paced, well-acted and visually well-crafted with Bradley Cooper turning in a very solid performance. The main problem with the movie lies in the script, which is full of implausibilities and moments that make you think "Hey wait a minute! Didn't he... What?". If you can look past all the impossibilities in the script and some questionable character motivations (especially at the end), then you'll probably have a good time watching Limitless.

Overall, this is an enjoyable enough movie to recommend, but there are many problems with the script and the movie is fairly uneven at times. It is well-acted and has a really neat visual style and come cool camera tricks up its sleeve. I would be willing to watch this movie again.