Review of Limitless (2011) by Citizencharlie — 28 Apr 2011

Limitless is about the best idea of the year so far. What if there was a pill which allowed you access and use 100% of your brain instead of the usual 20% we may use sans pharmaceuticals? You could recall every single memory, word you read, place you saw, conversation you had, etc.

.. Unfortunately, the pill wears off in the morning and if you use too much of it, you're headed in a downward spiral and a bad ending. The idea of a pill which could produce those effects is wonderfully original and fun for the audience to watch what a guy can accomplish on it.

The guy here is Bradley Cooper, a failing and lazy writer. Cooper is not your trypical leading man and it's a far cry from his early 'Alias' episodes. Robert DeNiro also shows up in a supporting role which took me out of the film while I watched Robert DeNiro instead of a character actor who would have most likely kept me more engaged.

This is an odd role for DeNiro, very sidelined and not much room to show off. The camera work stood out as well with some nifty tricks as the camera proceeds along the streets of New York in seemingly one shot.

What does not work is a gangster plotline which interrupts the flow and throws a wrench a bit into how the smartest guy in the world could forget to pay off a loan shark and other bonehead moves but overall, here a great idea which is explored effectively for most, but not the whole, film.